Certain iron supplements may influence the development of colon cancer, a new research has found. According to Chalmers University of Technology-led study, two compounds, ferric citrate, and ferric EDTA are often used in dietary supplements and as a food additive respectively, in worldwide markets including the USA and the EU, increase the formation of a known biomarker for cancer. The new study looked at the effect of normal supplemental doses of these compounds on two types of cultured human colon cancer cells.
As a comparison, they also measured the effects of ferrous sulphate, another very commonly available iron compound.While ferrous sulphate had no effect, both ferric citrate and ferric EDTA caused an increase in cellular levels of amphiregulin, a biomarker for cancer. This was the case even at low doses. "We can conclude that ferric citrate and ferric EDTA might be carcinogenic,…
