Dr KK Answers: What is oral iron challenge test?

In sprue, atrophic gastritis, H pylori infection, gastrectomy and gastric bypass procedures iron is not absorbed from diet or the pills.

An oral iron tolerance test is done for detecting such patients.

1.    Measure fasting serum iron level

2.    Measure a second serum iron level one to four hours following oral ingestion of one 325 mg tablet of iron sulfate (iron content 65 mg) along with water.

3.     An increase in serum iron of at least 100 microg/dL indicates that oral iron absorption is adequate.