Research paper
Daily iron supplementation for improving anaemia, iron status and health in menstruating women.
Study answer
What this study found
Daily iron supplementation lowered anaemia and iron deficiency and increased haemoglobin and iron stores. Pooled effects were favorable for anaemia prevalence (RR 0.39), haemoglobin (MD 5.30), ferritin (MD 10.27), and transferrin saturation (MD 5.98), and some trials also showed improved maximal exercise performance, selected submaximal performance measures, and reduced fatigue. Gastrointestinal side effects increased, with higher elemental iron doses causing more adverse effects. Vitamin C coadministration may improve anaemia reduction in some comparisons, but cognitive and broader…
- Study & population
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials in menstruating women of reproductive age who were not pregnant or lactating.
- Intervention
- Daily oral iron supplementation was evaluated across trials, using a wide range of formulations and elemental iron doses, from low-dose regimens such as 5 to 30 mg/day up to higher-dose schedules around 60 to 120 mg/day or more.
- Key limitation
- The evidence base was heterogeneous, with substantial variation in dose, formulation, duration, and participant baseline iron status.
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Open PDFOriginal abstract
BACKGROUND Iron-deficiency anaemia is highly prevalent among non-pregnant women of reproductive age (menstruating women) worldwide, although the prevalence is highest in lower-income settings. Iron-deficiency anaemia has been associated with a range …