Food supplement composition suitable for promoting iron absorption

A method for enhancing iron absorption from foods comprising:

• administering to a patient suffering from a lack of iron a composition in an amount effective to enhance absorption of iron naturally found in foods consumed by said patient, said composition being an iron-free composition comprising (a) cartilage or chondroitin sulphate, and (b) absorbable zinc, each being present in an amount effective to promote iron absorption from foods by said patient.

A method of treating anemia in a patient caused by a lack of iron without administering ferrous salts or ferrous complexes to said patient, said method comprising the step of enhancing absorption of iron naturally present in foods of the patient's diet, by administering to said patient an effective amount of an iron-free composition comprising (a) cartilage or chondroitin sulphate, and (b) absorbable zinc, each being present in an amount effective to promote iron absorption from food in the patient's diet.