Changes in iron status during competitive season in female collegiate swimmers. Effect of daily and intermittent iron supplementation on iron status of high school girls. Effects of iron supplementation and nutrition education on haemoglobin, ferritin and oxidative stress in iron-deficient female adolescents in Palestine: randomized control trial. Iron supplementation maintains ventilatory threshold and improves energetic efficiency in iron-deficient nonanemic athletes Will iron supplementation given during menstruation improve iron status better than weekly supplementation? Iron status, menarche, and calcium supplementation in adolescent girls. Effect of iron injections on aerobic-exercise performance of iron-depleted female athletes. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of iron supplementation in female soldiers during military training: effects on iron status, physical performance, and mood. The effects of compounded bioidentical transdermal hormone therapy on hemostatic, inflammatory, immune factors; cardiovascular biomarkers; quality-of-life measures; and health outcomes in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. Effects of 4 weeks iron supplementation on haematological and immunological status in elite female soccer players. Improvements in Iron Status and Cognitive Function in Young Women Consuming Beef or Non-Beef Lunches Effects of iron supplementation twice a week on attention score and haematologic measures in female high school students. Response of hemoglobin, serum ferritin, and serum transferrin receptor during iron supplementation in pregnancy: a prospective study. Effect of an iron supplement on body iron status and aerobic capacity of young training women Iron indexes and total antioxidant status in response to soy protein intake in perimenopausal women. Diet-induced changes in iron and n-3 fatty acid status and associations with cognitive performance in 8-11-year-old Danish children: secondary analyses of the Optimal Well-Being, Development and Health for Danish Children through a Healthy New Nordic Diet School Meal Study. Can iron status be improved in each of the three trimesters? A community-based study†
We examined changes in iron status in 25 female varsity collegiate swimmers over the course of a competitive season via weekly capillary blood sampling . We also studied the effectiveness of moderate iron supplementation ( 39 mg/day ) in preventing expected changes in iron status via a double-blinded crossover design . On entry into the study , 17 of the swimmers had depleted iron stores ( plasma ferritin < 12 micrograms/L ) and 5 were anemic ( Hb < 120 g/L ) . After 5 wk of placebo treatment , hemoglobin decreased ( > or = 6 g/L ) in 44 % and increased in 12 % of the subjects . After 5 wk of iron supplementation , hemoglobin decreased in 16 % and increased in 24 % of the subjects . Likewise , after placebo treatment , plasma ferritin decreased ( > or = 5 micrograms/L ) in 24 % and increased in 4 % of the subjects , whereas iron supplementation result ed in decreases in 4 % and increases in 68 % of the subjects . In the absence of iron supplementation , hemoglobin levels decreased despite mean dietary iron intakes of 16.3 mg/day . These results show that moderate iron supplementation is effective in preventing decline in the iron status of female collegiate swimmers during a competitive season , but a higher dose of iron may be necessary to reverse their iron-deficient state This experimental study was design ed to investigate the effects of daily versus intermittent iron supplementation on iron status of high school girls in Zahedan and Rasht cities in 1996 - 1997 . The subjects were selected r and omly from among students of grade s 1 - 3 of four high schools in each city .  Anemia was determined by measuring hematological indices . 260 anemic and a similar number of non-anemic subjects of 4 high schools were selected and allocated r and omly to 4 treatment groups . During a 3-month period , the test groups were given 150 mg ferrous sulfate tablets ( 50 mg Fe ) . Subjects in group 1 received a daily dose , groups 2 & 3 received twice or once weekly doses respectively . The control group received no iron supplement . For these subjects , in addition to hematological indices biochemical iron indices were measured in the beginning and at the end of the study . The increases in hemoglobin concentration in anemic subjects were not significantly different among supplemented groups but were different from the control group ( p < 0.00001 ) . Among anemic subjects , changes in serum ferritin levels in 3 supplemented groups were significantly different from the control group . Serum ferritin in Group 1 was also increased to a greater extent than groups 2 and 3 ( P < 0.00001 ) . It is concluded that over the study period a weekly iron dose was as effective as a daily dose in treating anemia but the daily dose was more effective in improving iron stores than a weekly dose in the short run Background Iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anaemia are associated with oxidative stress , but their role is largely unclear . Information is scarce on the effects of iron supplementation on biomarkers of oxidative stress in humans . Aims This study evaluated the effectiveness of iron supplementation and nutrition education on improving the levels of haemoglobin and ferritin , and decreasing oxidative stress among iron-deficient female adolescents in Gaza , Palestine . Methods A total 131 iron-deficient female adolescents were recruited and allocated r and omly into 3 different groups . The iron supplementation group ( A ) received 200 mg of ferrous fumarate weekly during the 3-month intervention , the iron supplementation with nutrition education group ( B ) received iron supplements with nutrition education sessions , and the control group ( C ) did not receive any intervention . The levels of haemoglobin , ferritin and malonyl dialdehyde were measured at baseline , after 3 months ( at which point the intervention was stopped ) , and then 3 months later . Trial registration number : ACTRN12618000960257 . Results Haemoglobin levels increased significantly after supplementation in both groups A and B. At the follow-up stage ( 3 months after stopping the intervention ) , iron and haemoglobin levels in group B continued to increase and malonyl dialdehyde decreased . In Group A , haemoglobin , ferritin and malonyl dialdehyde levels decreased after 3 months of stopping the intervention . No changes were seen in Group C. Conclusions A nutrition programme should be adopted and integrated into comprehensive intervention programmes to target iron-deficiency anaemia among female adolescents in Palestine Objective : To determine the effect of iron supplementation on iron status and endurance capacity . Design : R and omized , double-blind iron supplementation . Setting : University of Missouri-Columbia and surrounding community . Subjects : Twenty iron-deficient ( serum ferritin , sFer<16 μg/l ; serum transferrin receptor , sTfR>8.0 mg/l ; or sTfR/log sFer index > 4.5 ) , nonanemic ( hemoglobin , Hb>120 g/l , women ; > 130 g/l , men ) men and women ( 18–41 years ) were recruited via fliers and newspaper advertisements ; 20 of 31 eligible subjects participated . Interventions : A 30 mg measure of elemental iron as ferrous sulfate or placebo daily for 6 weeks . Results : Dietary iron intake and physical activity did not differ between groups before or after supplementation . Iron supplementation significantly increased sFer compared to placebo ( P=0.01 ) , but did not affect Hb or hematocrit . Iron supplementation prevented the decline in ventilatory threshold ( VT ) observed in the placebo group from pre- to post-supplementation ( P=0.01 ) ; this effect was greater in individuals with lower sFer before intervention ( P<0.05 ) . Changes in sFer from pre- to post-treatment were positively correlated with changes in VT ( P=0.03 ) , independent of supplementation . The iron group significantly increased gross energetic efficiency during the submaximal test ( P=0.04 ) . Changes in sFer were negatively correlated with changes in average respiratory exchange ratio during the submaximal test ( P<0.05 ) . Conclusions : Iron supplementation significantly improves iron status and endurance capacity in iron-deficient , nonanemic trained male and female subjects . Sponsorship : Missouri University Alumni Association , by the Elizabeth Hegarty Foundation and by the Department of Nutritional Sciences To investigate the efficacy of two different iron supplements administered either on a weekly basis or during menstruation , a 16-week community experimental study was carried out among postmenarcheal female adolescent students in Kupang , East Nusa Tenggara , Indonesia . Forty eight students received a placebo tablet  weekly , 48 other students got an iron tablet weekly and 41 students took an iron tablet for four consecutive days during their menstruation cycle . All subjects were given deworming tablets before supplementation . Haemoglobin , serum ferritin , height , weight , mid-upper arm circumference and dietary intake were assessed before and after intervention . The supplementation contributed to a significant improvement in the iron status of the intervention groups compared to the placebo group ( P < 0.05 ) . In the menstruation group , the haemoglobin concentrations of the anaemic subjects improved significantly ( P < 0.05 ) while for the non-anaemic subjects , serum ferritin concentrations also increased significantly ( P < 0.05 ) . In the weekly group for anaemic and nonanaemic subjects , there was a significant increase in both haemoglobin and serum ferritin concentrations ( P < 0.05 ) . This study revealed that weekly supplementation of iron tablets continued for 16 weeks contributed a higher improvement to haemoglobin concentration , compared with supplementing iron tablets for four consecutive days during menstruation for four menstrual cycles . This suggests that weekly iron supplementation is preferable The effects of growth , menstrual status , and calcium supplementation on iron status were studied over 4 y in 354 girls in pubertal stage 2 who were premenarcheal at baseline ( x+/-SD age : 10.8+/-0.8 y ) . Girls were r and omly assigned to placebo or treatment with 1000 mg Ca/d as calcium citrate malate .  Anthropometric characteristics , bone mass , and nutritional status were measured biannually ; ferritin was measured annually ; and red blood cell indexes were determined at 4 y. The simultaneous effects of iron intake and menstrual status on serum ferritin , after change in lean body mass ( LBM ) was controlled for , were evaluated in subjects in the upper and lower quartiles of cumulative iron intake . The average maximal accumulation of LBM ( 386 g/mo ; 95 % CI : 372 , 399 ) occurred 0.5 y before the onset of menarche . Change in LBM was a significant predictor of serum ferritin ( P < 0.0001 ) , with a negative influence on iron status ( t ratio=-4.12 ) . The 2 fitted mathematical models representing ferritin concentrations of subjects in the upper and lower quartiles of cumulative iron intake were significantly different ( P < 0.018 ) . The regression line of the ferritin concentration in menstruating girls with high iron intakes had a less negative slope than the line fit to serum ferritin concentrations in girls with low iron intakes ( NS ) . Serum ferritin concentrations at 0 , 1 , 2 , 3 , and 4 y were not significantly different between groups . In addition , there was no significant difference between groups in any of the red blood cell indexes . In summary , growth spurt and menstrual status had adverse effects on iron stores in adolescent girls with low iron intakes ( < 9 mg/d ) , whereas long-term supplementation with calcium ( total intake : approximately 1500 mg/d ) did not affect iron status This investigation examined the effect of intramuscular iron injections on aerobic-exercise performance in iron-deficient women . Sixteen athletes performed a 10-min steady-state submaximal economy test , a VO2max test , and a timed test to exhaustion at VO2max workload . Subjects were r and omly assigned to an iron-supplemented group ( IG ) receiving intramuscular iron injections or to a placebo group ( PG ) . Twenty days after the first injection , exercise and blood testing were repeated . A final blood test occurred on Day 28 . Post supplementation , no differences were found between the groups ' submaximal or maximal VO2 , heart rate , or blood lactate ( P > 0.05 ) . Time to exhaustion was increased in the IG ( P < 0.05 ) but was not greater than that of the PG ( P > 0.05 ) . The IG 's serum ferritin ( SF ) was significantly increased on Days 20 and 28 ( mean + /- st and ard error : 19 + /- 3 to 65 + /- 11 to 57 + /- 12 microg/L ; P < 0.01 ) , with a percentage change from baseline significantly greater than in the PG ( P < 0.01 ) . It was concluded that intramuscular iron injections can effectively increase SF without enhancing submaximal or maximal aerobic-exercise performance in iron-depleted female athletes BACKGROUND Decrements in iron status have been reported in female soldiers during military training . Diminished iron status adversely affects physical and cognitive performance . OBJECTIVE We wanted to determine whether iron supplementation could prevent decrements in iron status and improve measures of physical performance and cognitive status in female soldiers during basic combat training ( BCT ) . DESIGN In this 8-wk r and omized , double-blind , placebo-controlled trial , soldier volunteers ( n = 219 ) were provided with capsules containing either 100 mg ferrous sulfate or a placebo . Iron status indicator assays were performed pre- and post-BCT . Two-mile running time was assessed post-BCT ; mood was assessed by using the Profile of Mood States question naire pre- and post-BCT . RESULTS The BCT course affected iron status : red blood cell distribution width and soluble transferrin receptor were elevated ( P < 0.05 ) , and serum ferritin was lowered ( P < 0.05 ) post-BCT . Iron supplementation attenuated the decrement in iron status ; group-by-time interactions ( P < 0.01 ) were observed for serum ferritin and soluble transferrin receptor . Iron supplementation result ed in improved ( P < 0.05 ) vigor scores on the Profile of Mood States post-BCT and in faster running time ( P < 0.05 ) in volunteers reporting to BCT with iron deficiency anemia . CONCLUSIONS Iron status is affected by BCT , and iron supplementation attenuates the decrement in indicators of iron status in female soldiers . Furthermore , iron supplementation may prove to be beneficial for mood and physical performance during the training period . Future efforts should identify and treat female soldiers or athletes who begin training regimens with iron deficiency or iron deficiency anemia Menopause impacts 25 million women world wide each year , and the World Health Organization estimates 1.2 billion women will be postmenopausal by 2030 . Menopause has been associated with symptoms of hot flashes , night sweats , dysphoric mood , sleep disturbance , and conditions of cardiovascular disease , depression , osteoporosis , osteoarthritis , depression , dementia , and frailty . Conventional hormone replacement therapy results in increased thrombotic events , and an increased risk of breast cancer and dementia as evidence d in large prospect i ve clinical trials including Heart and Estrogen/Progestin Replacement Study I and the Women 's Health Initiative . A possible mechanism for these adverse events is the unfavorable net effects of conjugated equine estrogens and medroxyprogesterone acetate on the hemostatic balance and inflammatory and immune factors . Physiologic sex steroid therapy with transdermal delivery for peri/postmenopausal women may offer a different risk/benefit profile , yet long-term studies of this treatment model are lacking . The objective of this study was to examine the long-term effects of compounded bioidentical transdermal sex steroid therapy including estriol , estradiol , progesterone , DHEA , and testosterone on cardiovascular biomarkers , hemostatic , inflammatory , immune signaling factors ; quality -of-life measures ; and health outcomes in peri/postmenopausal women within the context of a hormone restoration model of care . A prospect i ve , cohort , closed-label study received approval from the Human Subjects Committee . Recruitment from outpatient clinics at an academic medical center and the community at large result ed in three hundred women giving signed consent . Seventy-five women who met strict inclusion /exclusion criteria were enrolled .  Baseline hormone evaluation was performed along with baseline experimental measures . Following this , women received compounded transdermal bioidentical hormone therapy of BiEst ( 80%Estriol/20%Estradiol ) , and /or Progesterone for eight weeks to meet established physiologic reference ranges for the luteal phase in premenopausal women . The luteal phase hormone ratios were selected based on animal and epidemiologic studies demonstrating favorable outcomes related to traumatic , ischemic , or neuronal injury . Follow-up testing was performed at eight weeks and adjustment to hormone regimens were made including addition of and rogens of DHEA and Testosterone if indicated . Experimental subjects were monitored for 36 months . Baseline , 2-month , and annual values were obtained for : blood pressure , body mass index , fasting glucose , Homeostasis Metabolic Assessment of Insulin Resistance ( HOMA-IR ) , fasting triglycerides , total Factor VII , Factor VIII , fibrinogen , Antithrombin III , Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor1(PAL-1 ) , C-reactive protein ( CRP ) , Interleukin-6 ( IL-6 ) , Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 ( MMP-9 ) , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ( TNF ) , Insulin-like Growth Factor ( IGF-1 ) , and sex steroid levels . Psychosocial measures included : Greene Climacteric Scale , Visual Analog Pain Scale , Hamilton Anxiety Scale , Hamilton Depression Scale , Holmes Rahe Stress Scale , Job Strain , and Home Strain . Health outcome measures included the number of prescribed medications used , number of co-morbidities , and endometrial thickness in postmenopausal women with intact uteri . Subjects receiving  compounded transdermal bioidentical hormone therapy showed significant favorable changes in : Greene Climacteric Scale scores , Hamilton Anxiety Scale , Hamilton Depression Scale , Visual Analog Pain Scale , fasting glucose , fasting triglycerides , MMP-9 , C-reactive Protein , fibrinogen , Factor VII , Factor VIII , Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 , and health outcomes of co-morbidities and a number of prescribed medications . Antithrombin III levels were significantly decreased at 36 months . All other measures did not exhibit significant effects . Administration of compounded transdermal bioidentical hormone therapy in doses targeted to physiologic reference ranges administered in a daily dose significantly relieved menopausal symptoms in peri/postmenopausal women . Cardiovascular biomarkers , inflammatory factors , immune signaling factors , and health outcomes were favorably impacted , despite very high life stress , and home and work strain in study subjects . The therapy did not adversely alter the net prothrombotic potential , and there were no associated adverse events . This model of care warrants consideration as an effective and safe clinical therapy for peri/postmenopausal women especially in population s with high perceived stress and a history of stressful life events prior to , or during the menopausal transition The effects of 4 weeks iron supplementation on haematological and immunological status were studied in 25 elite female soccer players aged 20 - 28 years . The subjects were r and omized and assigned to one of the following two groups ; subjects given 40 mg/day iron supplementation ( S group ) or those given placebo ( C group ) . The oral iron supplementation ( 40 mg elemental iron ) was taken in 15 ml solution once a day by the S group , and the C group took a placebo for 4 weeks . Daily energy and protein intakes met the Korean Recommended Dietary Allowances . Blood haemoglobin concentration did not change in the S group , but decreased significantly ( P<0.05 ) in the C group over the 4-week experimental period . Haematocrit , mean cell volume , mean cell haemoglobin and total iron binding capacity decreased significantly , and mean cell haemoglobin concentration increased significantly ( P<0.05 ) in both the S and C groups . Plasma ferritin concentration increased significantly ( P<0.05 ) in the S group , but did not change in the C group . The change of plasma immunological parameters and erythrocyte anti-oxidative enzyme activities were almost the same between the S and C groups . These results suggest that 4 weeks of iron supplementation by elite female soccer players significantly increased body iron stores and inhibited decrease of haemoglobin concentration induced by soccer training Iron status is associated with cognitive performance and intervention trials show that iron supplementation improves mental function in iron-deficient adults . However , no studies have tested the efficacy of naturally iron-rich food in this context . This investigation measured the hematologic and cognitive responses to moderate beef consumption in young women . Participants ( n = 43 ; age 21.1 ± 0.4 years ) were r and omly assigned to a beef or non-beef protein lunch group [ 3-oz ( 85 g ) , 3 times weekly ] for 16 weeks . Blood was sample d at baseline , and weeks 8 and 16 , and cognitive performance was measured at baseline and week 16 . Body iron increased in both lunch groups ( p < 0.0001 ) , with greater improvement demonstrated in women with lower baseline body iron ( p < 0.0001 ) . Body iron had significant beneficial effects on spatial working memory and planning speed ( p < 0.05 ) , and ferritin responders ( n = 17 ) vs. non-responders ( n = 26 ) showed significantly greater improvements in planning speed , spatial working memory strategy , and attention ( p < 0.05 ) . Lunch group had neither significant interactions with iron status nor consistent main effects on test performance . These findings support a relationship between iron status and cognition , but do not show a particular benefit of beef over non-beef protein consumption on either measure in young women INTRODUCTION Iron deficiency , associated with a decline in cognitive function , is the most common nutritional deficiency globally . The present study aim ed to identify the impact of weekly iron supplements on the attention function of female students from a high school in North Khorasan Province , Iran . METHODS This was a blind , controlled , clinical trial study , involving 200 female students who were chosen using the stratified r and omised sampling method . First , laboratory studies were performed to detect iron consumption limitations . Next , the 200 students were divided r and omly and equally into case and control groups . The case group was treated with 50 mg of ferrous sulfate twice a week for 16 weeks . We compared both groups ' data on attention , iron status and erythrocyte indices . Question naires were used to collect demographic data , while clinical data was collected using complete blood count and Toulouse-Piéron tests . Data was analysed using descriptive statistics , as well as paired and independent t-tests . RESULTS The mean attention scores of the case and control groups were 104.8 ± 7.0 and 52.7 ± 9.6 , respectively ( p < 0.001 ) . The mean haemoglobin levels of the two groups were 12.5 ± 0.9 and 11.2 ± 1.0 , respectively ( p < 0.001 ) . Compared to the control group , the attention scores and haemoglobin concentrations of the case group were found to be improved by approximately 90 % and 10 % , respectively . CONCLUSION Oral iron supplements ( 50 mg twice a week for 16 weeks ) were able to improve the attention span and haematologic indices of female high school students OBJECTIVE We evaluated the effect of iron supplementation on biochemical indicators of iron status , namely hemoglobin ( Hb ) , serum ferritin ( SF ) , and serum transferrin receptor ( sTfR ) , during pregnancy . METHODS A prospect i ve study was conducted in 73 pregnant women who received daily supplements of 60 mg of iron and 500 microg of folic acid for 100 d from 19 wk of gestation . The indicators of  iron status ( Hb , SF , and sTfR ) at 19 , 27 , and 35 wk of gestation were analyzed . The response of iron status indicators to iron supplementation was assessed in the cohort and in pregnant women who were anemic ( n = 35 ) and non-anemic ( n = 38 ) at 19 wk . RESULTS All three indicators of iron status during supplementation ( 27 and 35 wk ) were similar to the presupplementation status . The sTfR as an indicator correlated negatively with presupplementation Hb levels ( r = -0.417 ) . Based on sTfR level in iron-adequate pregnant women , a cutoff value of at least 12.0 mg/L was derived to define iron deficiency in pregnancy . When the response was tested in anemic pregnant women , iron supplementation improved mean Hb ( P < 0.05 ) at the end of 35 wk ( 96 + /- 8.8 to 110 + /- 20.2 g/L ) of gestation , with no change in SF . Conversely , non-anemic pregnant women showed a significant increase in SF and a decrease in Hb ( 122 + /- 11.6 to 112 + /- 15.2 g/L ) at 35 wk of gestation . A significant effect of iron intake on sTfR was seen only among iron-deficient anemic women . CONCLUSIONS These observations suggest that , during pregnancy , sTfR responds to iron supplementation when there is iron-deficiency anemia and therefore can be used as an indicator Summary Serum iron deficiency has a high incidence in female athletes . We investigated the effects of a daily oral iron supplement , ( 160 mg ) administered during an intensive 7-week physical training programme , on body iron status , and the maximal aerobic capacity ( VO2max ) of 13 women ( group A ) compared to 15 who took a placebo ( group B ) . The subjects were 19 years old . Blood sample s were obtained before training began and on days 1 , 7 , 21 and 42 of training . They were analysed for packed cell volume ( PVC ) and for haemoglobin ( Hb ) , 2,3-diphosphoglycerate ( 2,3-DPG ) , haptoglobin , iron and ferritin concentrations . TheVO2max was measured on days 0 , 21 and 42 of training . Following 21 days of training Hb , PCV and ferritin were significantly higher ( P⩽0.01 ) in group A compared to group B. Over the training period Hb rose by 9.3 % and 2.4 % in groups A and B , respectively . At the end of training 66 % of group B exhibited ferritin concentrations below 10 ng·ml−1 , while none of group A had such low values . MeanVO2max of group A had increased by 7.5 % following 21 days of training ( P⩽0.01 ) and by 15.3 % after 42 days . No appreciable increase inVO2max had occurred in group B by day 21 ( significantly lower thanVO2max of group A;P⩽0.05 ) , however by day 42 it had increased by 14.3 % ( P⩽0.05 ) . In both groups 2,3-DPG·g Hb−1 had increased significantly ( P⩽0.005 ) by day 7 ( 22 % ) and remained at that level for an additional 35 days . We concluded that a daily oral iron supplement given to young women during intensive training improved several haematological variables and their body iron status . This improvement was associated with an increasedVO2max only during the early stages of their training ( day 21 ) compared with the placebo group BACKGROUND Elevated iron stores , oxidative stress , and estrogen deficiency may place postmenopausal women at greater risk of heart disease and cancer than premenopausal women . OBJECTIVE The objective was to determine the effect of soy-protein isolate ( SPI ) intake and iron indexes on plasma total antioxidant status ( TAS ) in perimenopausal women after control for other contributing factors . DESIGN Perimenopausal women ( n = 69 ) were r and omly assigned ( double blind ) to treatment : isoflavone-rich SPI ( SPI+ ; n = 24 ) , isoflavone-poor SPI ( SPI- ; n = 24 ) , or whey protein ( control ; n = 21 ) . Each subject consumed 40 g soy or whey protein daily for 24 wk . Plasma TAS , serum ferritin , serum iron , transferrin saturation , and hemoglobin were measured at baseline , week 12 , and week 24 . RESULTS No significant time-by-treatment interactions on iron indexes or TAS were observed , whereas time had an effect on serum ferritin ( P < or = 0.0001 ) and hemoglobin ( P = 0.004 ) but not on TAS . Multiple regression analysis showed that at week 12 , 48 % ( P < or = 0.0001 ) of the variability in TAS was accounted for by baseline TAS , alcohol intake , soy intake ( soy compared with control ; P = 0.016 ) , plasma lipoprotein(a ) , and dietary iron . At week 24 , 47 % of the variability in TAS was accounted for by baseline TAS , serum ferritin , serum estrone , dietary zinc , and dietary meat , fish , and poultry . CONCLUSIONS SPI intake had no significant effect on iron status , but our results suggest that dietary soy protein and low iron stores may protect perimenopausal women from oxidative stress Fe and n-3 long-chain PUFA ( n-3 LCPUFA ) have both been associated with cognition , but evidence remains inconclusive in well-nourished school-aged children . In the Optimal Well-Being , Development and Health for Danish Children through a Healthy New Nordic Diet ( OPUS ) School Meal Study , the 3-month intervention increased reading performance , inattention , impulsivity and dietary intake of fish and Fe . This study investigated whether the intervention influenced n-3 LCPUFA and Fe status and , if so , explored how these changes correlated with the changes in cognitive performance . The study was a cluster-r and omised cross-over trial comparing school meals with packed lunch ( control ) . At baseline and after each treatment , we measured serum ferritin , whole-blood n-3 LCPUFA and Hb , and performance in reading , mathematics and d2-test of attention . Data were analysed using mixed models ( n 726 ) and principal component analysis of test performances ( n 644 ) , which showed two main patterns : ' school performance ' and ' reading comprehension ' . The latter indicated that children with good reading comprehension were also more inattentive and impulsive ( i.e. higher d2-test error% ) . The intervention improved ' school performance ' ( P=0·015 ) , ' reading comprehension ' ( P=0·043 ) and EPA+DHA status 0·21 ( 95 % CI 0·15 , 0·27 ) w/w % ( P<0·001 ) , but it did not affect serum ferritin or Hb . At baseline , having small Fe stores was associated with poorer ' school performance ' in girls , but with better ' reading comprehension ' in both boys and girls . Both baseline EPA+DHA status and the intervention-induced increase in EPA+DHA status was positively associated with ' school performance ' , suggesting that n-3 LCPUFA could potentially explain approximately 20 % of the intervention effect . These exploratory associations indicate that increased fish intake might explain some of the increase in reading performance and inattention in the study Objective : Intervention with iron supplementation , deworming , and information , education and communication ( IEC ) to improve the haematological status among each of the three trimesters of pregnant women in a rural community . Design : A community-based study was carried out using a two-group pre – post experimental design in a rural community . Setting : Two rural blocks in Vellore district were selected for the study . KV Kuppam block with a population of 120 , 000 and the adjacent Gudiyatham block with a population of 132 , 000 served as study and control areas for the study .Subjects : Using a multistage sampling , initially 50 % of the panchayats , the local village administrative units , were r and omly selected and all pregnant women were the subjects . In the pre-intervention survey 458 and 387 pregnant women had haemoglobin tested and the post-intervention survey covered 403 and 425 pregnant women in the study and control areas , respectively . Similarly serum ferritin was tested in a r and omly selected sub- sample with 254 and 191 pregnant women before intervention and in 216 and 223 pregnant women after intervention in both study and control areas , respectively . Intervention : Iron supplementation and deworming were provided to all pregnant women in the study area from the fourth month of their pregnancy . An intensive information , education and communication was carried out with facts on anaemia and diet modification to each pregnant woman , using a one-to-one approach in the community , and a group method in the mobile clinics . This was carried out for a period of 18 months . Results : A significant decrease in the prevalence of anaemia was found , from 56.1 % to 25.07 % ( P<0.001 ) , 73.4 % to 49.2 % ( P<0.001 ) and 68.8 % to 56.8 % ( P<0.01 ) among women in the first , second and third trimesters , respectively , in the intervention area . Significant ( P<0.001 ) increases in the mean haemoglobin of 0.85 g/dl ( 95 % CI 10.18–10.84 , 11.09–11.63 ) , 0.59 g/dl ( 95 % CI 9.98–10.34 , 10.55–10.95 ) and 0.36 g/dl ( 95 % CI 9.93–10.33 , 10.25–10.73 ) were also observed in each of the groups . Conclusion : A comprehensive community-based intervention with iron supplementation , helminthic treatment and increase in knowledge using IEC through effective strategies can improve the haematological status of pregnant women in each trimester . Sponsorship : Mother Care Project , John Snow Inc. , Funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).European Journal of Clinical Nutrition ( 2000 ) 54 ,
Quantitative relations between baseline iron status , study duration , and iron dose on changes in iron-status biomarkers , which were generated from the meta-analyses , can be used to predict effects of trials of iron supplementation and fortification and to design iron-intervention programs
BACKGROUND The response of status biomarkers to an increase in iron supply depends on several physiologic and environmental factors , which make it difficult to predict the outcome of an intervention .
OBJECTIVE We assessed effects of baseline iron status , sex , menopausal status , duration of intervention , iron form , and daily dose on the change in iron status in response to iron supplementation .