Flaxseed Secoisolariciresinol Diglucoside and Visceral Obesity

The amount of any nutrient that is available for absorption depends upon its release from the food macro- and microstructure during digestion, chemical and physical interactions with other food components during digestion, the form in which the nutrient is presented to the absorptive cells of the intestine, and regulatory mechanisms in the intestinal mucosa that reflect the individual’s physiological need for the nutrient. These factors contribute to the (often) highly variable proportion of absorbable nutrient which is taken up and used by the body and may explain the generally poor association between total amounts of micronutrients consumed and indices of micronutrient status.

Low absorbability of some minerals and vitamins may be the underlying cause of certain nutritional inadequacies. If intakes are well in excess of physiological requirements but bioavailability is a limiting factor, nutritional deficiency disorders may occur, as for example with iron.