You review a study where participants consuming a high-iron diet had reductions in serum copper-related biomarkers. As a nutrition scientist, propose a balanced follow-up intervention to test whether dietary modifications can prevent copper suppression while maintaining adequate iron status.

• A. Design a randomized trial comparing (A) high-iron diet alone; (B) high-iron diet plus increased dietary copper from organ meats, shellfish, nuts, and whole grains; and (C) high-iron diet with timed spacing of iron-rich meals and copper-rich foods so they are consumed at different times, then measure iron and copper biomarkers and hemoglobin over 12 weeks.
• B. Prescribe high-dose copper supplements to all participants immediately without assessing dietary copper or iron biomarkers and expect that copper will automatically normalize without monitoring potential adverse effects or interference with other minerals.
• C. Recommend a cross-sectional observational study that measures only dietary intakes without any intervention or randomization because observational data will definitively show cause and effect regarding iron and copper interactions.
• D. Advocate stopping all iron fortification programs globally as the only ethical approach, since any iron in the diet invariably eliminates copper status and there are no feasible dietary strategies to balance the two.

Answer: (A)