Research paper
Iron supplementation benefits physical performance in women of reproductive age: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Study answer
What this study found
Daily oral iron supplementation improved maximal and submaximal exercise performance in women of reproductive age. The clearest benefits were seen in iron-deficient and trained women, with improved maximal aerobic capacity and better efficiency during submaximal exercise; some evidence also suggested benefit when baseline iron status was not established. Across the review, maximal VO2 max and other maximal outcomes generally favored iron in several subgroups, and submaximal measures such as heart rate and percentage of VO2max required also improved. Adverse gastrointestinal events were…
- Study & population
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials in women of reproductive age who were not pregnant or lactating.
- Intervention
- Daily oral iron supplementation was evaluated across trials, most commonly as elemental iron given as ferrous sulfate, with doses ranging from 1 mg/day to 150 mg/day and one regimen using 100 mg elemental iron twice per day.
- Key limitation
- The evidence base was heterogeneous, with variation in iron status, training status, doses, and co-interventions across trials.
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Open PDFOriginal abstract
Animal and human observational studies suggest that iron deficiency impairs physical exercise performance, but findings from randomized trials on the effects of iron are equivocal. Iron deficiency and anemia are especially common in women of reproduc…