27 July 2012
According to a new study, daily iron supplementation should be considered for iron-deficient women with unexplained fatigue.
The randomized controlled trial included 198 non- anemic women aged 18–53 who had complained of fatigue and who had ferritin levels of less than 50 ug/L and hemoglobin levels greater than 12.0 g/dL. The women were assigned to receive either oral ferrous sulfate (80 mg of elemental iron daily) or a placebo for 12 weeks (1). The study results showed that iron supplementation was associated with a 48% decrease in fatigue scores compared to a 29% decrease in the placebo group. Hemoglobin and ferritin levels significantly increased in the group receiving supplements. No significant effects on quality of life, depression or anxiety were detected.
The researchers commented that iron deficiency may be an under-recognized cause of fatigue in women of child-bearing age. If fatigue is not due to secondary causes, the identification of iron deficiency as a potential cause may prevent inappropriate attribution of symptoms to supposed emotional causes or life stressors. Unnecessary use of health care resources, including inappropriate pharmacological treatments, may there-fore be avoided.
25 November 2013
New data again shows that the highest prevalence of multiple sclerosis can be found in countries with the least amount of days with sun exposure, which is related to the body’s own vitamin D synthesis.
8 December 2013
Teenagers with adequate blood concentrations of beta-carotene and vitamins A, C, D and E perform better in physical fitness tests than those with low concentrations, a Spanish study suggests.
26 November 2013
A new Australian study suggests that increasing the omega-3 fatty acid concentrations in red blood cells by dietary supplementation may improve attention, literacy and behavior in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
