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Meta-Analysis
. 2016 Apr 18;4(4):CD009747.
doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD009747.pub2.

Daily iron supplementation for improving anaemia, iron status and health in menstruating women

Michael Sze Yuan Low  1 , Joanna Speedy, Claire E Styles, Luz Maria De-Regil, Sant-Rayn Pasricha
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Daily iron supplementation for improving anaemia, iron status and health in menstruating women

Michael Sze Yuan Low et al. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. .

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 of adverse health outcomes, which restitution of iron stores using iron supplementation has been considered likely to resolve. Although there have been many trials reporting effects of iron in non-pregnant women, these trials have never been synthesised in a systematic review.

Objectives: To establish the evidence for effects of daily supplementation with iron on anaemia and iron status, as well as on physical, psychological and neurocognitive health, in menstruating women.

Search methods: In November 2015 we searched CENTRAL, Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, and nine other databases, as well as four digital thesis repositories. In addition, we searched the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (WHO ICTRP) and reference lists of relevant reviews.

Selection criteria: We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs comparing daily oral iron supplementation with or without a cointervention (folic acid or vitamin C), for at least five days per week at any dose, to control or placebo using either individual- or cluster-randomisation. Inclusion criteria were menstruating women (or women aged 12 to 50 years) reporting on predefined primary (anaemia, haemoglobin concentration, iron deficiency, iron-deficiency anaemia, all-cause mortality, adverse effects, and cognitive function) or secondary (iron status measured by iron indices, physical exercise performance, psychological health, adherence, anthropometric measures, serum/plasma zinc levels, vitamin A status, and red cell folate) outcomes.

Data collection and analysis: We used the standard methodological procedures of Cochrane.

Main results: The search strategy identified 31,767 records; after screening, 90 full-text reports were assessed for eligibility. We included 67 trials (from 76 reports), recruiting 8506 women; the number of women included in analyses varied greatly between outcomes, with endpoint haemoglobin concentration being the outcome with the largest number of participants analysed (6861 women). Only 10 studies were considered at low overall risk of bias, with most studies presenting insufficient details about trial quality.Women receiving iron were significantly less likely to be anaemic at the end of intervention compared to women receiving control (risk ratio (RR) 0.39 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.25 to 0.60, 10 studies, 3273 women, moderate quality evidence). Women receiving iron had a higher haemoglobin concentration at the end of intervention compared to women receiving control (mean difference (MD) 5.30, 95% CI 4.14 to 6.45, 51 studies, 6861 women, high quality evidence). Women receiving iron had a reduced risk of iron deficiency compared to women receiving control (RR 0.62, 95% CI 0.50 to 0.76, 7 studies, 1088 women, moderate quality evidence). Only one study (55 women) specifically reported iron-deficiency anaemia and no studies reported mortality. Seven trials recruiting 901 women reported on 'any side effect' and did not identify an overall increased prevalence of side effects from iron supplements (RR 2.14, 95% CI 0.94 to 4.86, low quality evidence). Five studies recruiting 521 women identified an increased prevalence of gastrointestinal side effects in women taking iron (RR 1.99, 95% CI 1.26 to 3.12, low quality evidence). Six studies recruiting 604 women identified an increased prevalence of loose stools/diarrhoea (RR 2.13, 95% CI 1.10, 4.11, high quality evidence); eight studies recruiting 1036 women identified an increased prevalence of hard stools/constipation (RR 2.07, 95% CI 1.35 to 3.17, high quality evidence). Seven studies recruiting 1190 women identified evidence of an increased prevalence of abdominal pain among women randomised to iron (RR 1.55, 95% CI 0.99 to 2.41, low quality evidence). Eight studies recruiting 1214 women did not find any evidence of an increased prevalence of nausea among women randomised to iron (RR 1.19, 95% CI 0.78 to 1.82). Evidence that iron supplementation improves cognitive performance in women is uncertain, as studies could not be meta-analysed and individual studies reported conflicting results. Iron supplementation improved maximal and submaximal exercise performance, and appears to reduce symptomatic fatigue. Although adherence could not be formally meta-analysed due to differences in reporting, there was no evident difference in adherence between women randomised to iron and control.

Authors' conclusions: Daily iron supplementation effectively reduces the prevalence of anaemia and iron deficiency, raises haemoglobin and iron stores, improves exercise performance and reduces symptomatic fatigue. These benefits come at the expense of increased gastrointestinal symptomatic side effects.

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Conflict of interest statement

The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript.

Michael Sze Yuan Low is employed by Monash Health, an Australian government funded public hospital. MSYL has a PhD scholarship from the Royal Australasian College of Physicians/National Health and Medical Research Council Australia, which was used to fund research outside of this review. Joanna Speedy is currently employed by the Australian Red Cross Blood Service, who sponsored and conducted one of the studies included in the review (Marks 2014), and was involved in conducting the study. Due to this potential conflict of interest Joanna Speedy was not involved in the decision to include this trial, extract data from this trial, or assess the risk of bias of this trial. Claire E Styles is currently employed by the Australian Red Cross Blood Service, who sponsored and conducted one of the studies included in the review (Marks 2014), but was not involved in any aspect of this study. Luz Maria De‐Regil is a staff member of the Micronutrient Initiative (MI), an international not‐for‐profit organisation that delivers, with support of Global Affairs Canada, iron and folic acid through different programmes to children, women of reproductive age and pregnant women. None of these programmes met the inclusion criteria of this review and were not captured by the search process. Sant‐Rayn Pasricha's former institution received an unrestricted research grant in 2012, from Vifor Pharma Ltd for his work as a co‐investigator on a phase II trial of IV iron carboxymaltose in patients with iron‐deficiency anaemia. The work is unrelated to this review and is not included in the review.

Disclaimer: Luz Maria De‐Regil is a full‐time staff member of the Micronutrient Initiative. Jo Speedy, Claire Styles and Sant‐Rayn Pasricha are staff of the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. The authors alone are responsible for the views expressed in this publication, and they do not necessarily represent the official position, decisions, policy or views of these organisations.

Figures

1
1
Study flow diagram.
2
2
Risk of bias graph: review authors' judgements about each risk of bias item presented as percentages across all included studies.
3
3
Risk of bias summary: review authors' judgements about each risk of bias item for each included study.
4
4
Funnel plot of comparison: 1 Anaemia, outcome: 1.1 Anaemia at end of therapy (total).
5
5
Funnel plot of comparison: 2 Haemoglobin, outcome: 2.1 Haemoglobin (total).
6
6
Funnel plot of comparison: 7 Side effects, outcome: 7.1 Any Side effect (Total).
1.1
1.1. Analysis
Comparison 1 Anaemia, Outcome 1 Anaemia at end of therapy (total).
1.2
1.2. Analysis
Comparison 1 Anaemia, Outcome 2 Anaemia at end of therapy (sensitivity analysis).
1.3
1.3. Analysis
Comparison 1 Anaemia, Outcome 3 Anaemia at end of therapy (cointervention).
1.4
1.4. Analysis
Comparison 1 Anaemia, Outcome 4 Anaemia at end of therapy (age).
1.5
1.5. Analysis
Comparison 1 Anaemia, Outcome 5 Anaemia at end of therapy (baseline Hb).
1.6
1.6. Analysis
Comparison 1 Anaemia, Outcome 6 Anaemia at end of therapy (iron status).
1.7
1.7. Analysis
Comparison 1 Anaemia, Outcome 7 Anaemia at end of therapy (iron‐deficiency anaemia).
1.8
1.8. Analysis
Comparison 1 Anaemia, Outcome 8 Anaemia at end of therapy (dose).
1.9
1.9. Analysis
Comparison 1 Anaemia, Outcome 9 Anaemia at end of therapy (duration).
1.10
1.10. Analysis
Comparison 1 Anaemia, Outcome 10 Anaemia at end of therapy (type of iron).
2.1
2.1. Analysis
Comparison 2 Haemoglobin, Outcome 1 Haemoglobin (total).
2.2
2.2. Analysis
Comparison 2 Haemoglobin, Outcome 2 Haemoglobin (sensitivity analysis).
2.3
2.3. Analysis
Comparison 2 Haemoglobin, Outcome 3 Haemoglobin (cointervention).
2.4
2.4. Analysis
Comparison 2 Haemoglobin, Outcome 4 Haemoglobin (age).
2.5
2.5. Analysis
Comparison 2 Haemoglobin, Outcome 5 Haemoglobin (baseline Hb).
2.6
2.6. Analysis
Comparison 2 Haemoglobin, Outcome 6 Haemoglobin (iron status).
2.7
2.7. Analysis
Comparison 2 Haemoglobin, Outcome 7 Haemoglobin (iron‐deficiency anaemia).
2.8
2.8. Analysis
Comparison 2 Haemoglobin, Outcome 8 Haemoglobin (dose).
2.9
2.9. Analysis
Comparison 2 Haemoglobin, Outcome 9 Haemoglobin (duration).
2.10
2.10. Analysis
Comparison 2 Haemoglobin, Outcome 10 Haemoglobin (type of iron).
3.1
3.1. Analysis
Comparison 3 Iron deficiency, Outcome 1 Iron deficiency at end of therapy (total).
3.2
3.2. Analysis
Comparison 3 Iron deficiency, Outcome 2 Iron deficiency at end of therapy (sensitivity analysis).
4.1
4.1. Analysis
Comparison 4 Iron‐deficiency anaemia, Outcome 1 Iron‐deficiency anaemia (total).
4.2
4.2. Analysis
Comparison 4 Iron‐deficiency anaemia, Outcome 2 Microcytic anaemia (Total).
5.1
5.1. Analysis
Comparison 5 Side effects, Outcome 1 Any side effect (total).
5.2
5.2. Analysis
Comparison 5 Side effects, Outcome 2 Any side effect (sensitivity analysis).
5.3
5.3. Analysis
Comparison 5 Side effects, Outcome 3 Any side effect (dose).
5.4
5.4. Analysis
Comparison 5 Side effects, Outcome 4 Gastrointestinal side effects (total).
5.5
5.5. Analysis
Comparison 5 Side effects, Outcome 5 Gastrointestinal side effects (sensitivity analysis).
5.6
5.6. Analysis
Comparison 5 Side effects, Outcome 6 Gastrointestinal side effects (dose).
5.7
5.7. Analysis
Comparison 5 Side effects, Outcome 7 Loose stools/diarrhoea (total).
5.8
5.8. Analysis
Comparison 5 Side effects, Outcome 8 Hard stools/constipation (total).
5.9
5.9. Analysis
Comparison 5 Side effects, Outcome 9 Hard stools/constipation (sensitivity analysis).
5.10
5.10. Analysis
Comparison 5 Side effects, Outcome 10 Abdominal pain (total).
5.11
5.11. Analysis
Comparison 5 Side effects, Outcome 11 Nausea (total).
5.12
5.12. Analysis
Comparison 5 Side effects, Outcome 12 Change in stool colour (total).
5.13
5.13. Analysis
Comparison 5 Side effects, Outcome 13 Headache (total).
6.1
6.1. Analysis
Comparison 6 Iron status, Outcome 1 Ferritin in ng/ml (total).
6.2
6.2. Analysis
Comparison 6 Iron status, Outcome 2 Ferritin in ng/ml (cointervention).
6.3
6.3. Analysis
Comparison 6 Iron status, Outcome 3 Ferritin in ng/ml (age).
6.4
6.4. Analysis
Comparison 6 Iron status, Outcome 4 Ferritin in ng/ml (baseline Hb).
6.5
6.5. Analysis
Comparison 6 Iron status, Outcome 5 Ferritin in ng/ml (iron status).
6.6
6.6. Analysis
Comparison 6 Iron status, Outcome 6 Ferritin in ng/ml (iron‐deficiency anaemia).
6.7
6.7. Analysis
Comparison 6 Iron status, Outcome 7 Ferritin in ng/ml (dose).
6.8
6.8. Analysis
Comparison 6 Iron status, Outcome 8 Ferritin in ng/ml (duration).
6.9
6.9. Analysis
Comparison 6 Iron status, Outcome 9 Ferritin in ng/ml (type of iron).
6.10
6.10. Analysis
Comparison 6 Iron status, Outcome 10 Transferrin saturation (total).
6.11
6.11. Analysis
Comparison 6 Iron status, Outcome 11 Soluble transferrin receptor (mg/L) (total).
6.12
6.12. Analysis
Comparison 6 Iron status, Outcome 12 Total iron binding capacity (total).
6.13
6.13. Analysis
Comparison 6 Iron status, Outcome 13 Serum iron (total).
6.14
6.14. Analysis
Comparison 6 Iron status, Outcome 14 Erythrocyte protophyrin (ug/g Hb) (total).
7.1
7.1. Analysis
Comparison 7 Exercise performance ‐ peak (maximal), Outcome 1 Absolute VO2 max (L/min) (total).
7.2
7.2. Analysis
Comparison 7 Exercise performance ‐ peak (maximal), Outcome 2 Relative VO2 max ml/kg/min (total).
7.3
7.3. Analysis
Comparison 7 Exercise performance ‐ peak (maximal), Outcome 3 Peak respiratory exchange ratio (RER) (total).
7.4
7.4. Analysis
Comparison 7 Exercise performance ‐ peak (maximal), Outcome 4 Maximum heart rate (total).
7.5
7.5. Analysis
Comparison 7 Exercise performance ‐ peak (maximal), Outcome 5 Lactate at longest point (total).
8.1
8.1. Analysis
Comparison 8 Exercise performance ‐ submaximal, Outcome 1 Percentage VO2 peak (total).
8.2
8.2. Analysis
Comparison 8 Exercise performance ‐ submaximal, Outcome 2 Heart rate (total).
8.3
8.3. Analysis
Comparison 8 Exercise performance ‐ submaximal, Outcome 3 Energy consumption (kJ/min) (total).
8.4
8.4. Analysis
Comparison 8 Exercise performance ‐ submaximal, Outcome 4 Respiratory exchange ratio (RER) (total).
8.5
8.5. Analysis
Comparison 8 Exercise performance ‐ submaximal, Outcome 5 Achieved workload (total).
8.6
8.6. Analysis
Comparison 8 Exercise performance ‐ submaximal, Outcome 6 Time to exhaustion (total).
9.1
9.1. Analysis
Comparison 9 Anthropometric, Outcome 1 Height (cm) (total).
9.2
9.2. Analysis
Comparison 9 Anthropometric, Outcome 2 Weight (kg) (total).
9.3
9.3. Analysis
Comparison 9 Anthropometric, Outcome 3 Weight (kg) (sensitivity analysis).
9.4
9.4. Analysis
Comparison 9 Anthropometric, Outcome 4 Body mass index (total).
9.5
9.5. Analysis
Comparison 9 Anthropometric, Outcome 5 Body mass index (sensitivity analysis).
10.1
10.1. Analysis
Comparison 10 Serum/plasma zinc, Outcome 1 Zinc levels (total).
11.1
11.1. Analysis
Comparison 11 Productivity, Outcome 1 Productivity.
12.1
12.1. Analysis
Comparison 12 Malaria, Outcome 1 Malaria prevalence at end of therapy (Total).
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Update of

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Newhouse 1989 {published data only}
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Pereira 2014 {published and unpublished data}
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Prosser 2010 {published data only}
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Rowland 1988 {published data only}
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Rybo 1985 {published data only}
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Røsvik 2010 {published data only}
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Shah 2002 {published data only}
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Swain 2007 {published data only}
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Taniguchi 1991 {published data only}
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Verdon 2003 {published data only}
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Viteri 1999 {published data only}
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Waldvogel 2012 {published data only}
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Walsh 1989 {published data only (unpublished sought but not used)}
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Wang 2012 {published data only}
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Yadrick 1989 {published data only}
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Yoshida 1990 {published data only}
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Zaman 2013 {published data only}
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References to studies excluded from this review

Brigham 1993 {published data only}
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Cable 1988 {published data only}
    1. Cable RG, Morse EE, Keltonic J, Kakaiya R, Kiraly T. Iron supplementation in female blood donors deferred by copper sulfate screening. Transfusion 1988;28(5):422‐6. [DOI: 10.1046/j.1537-2995.1988.28588337328.x] - DOI - PubMed
Powell 1991 {published data only}
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Powers 1988 {published data only}
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Schoene 1983 {published data only}
    1. Schoene RB, Escourrou P, Robertson HT, Nilson KL, Parsons JR, Smith NJ. Iron repletion decreases maximal exercise lactate concentrations in female athletes with minimal iron‐deficiency anemia. Journal of Laboratory and Clinical Medicine 1983;102(2):306‐12. [PUBMED: 6864076] - PubMed
Simon 1984 {published data only}
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References to studies awaiting assessment

Blot 1980 {published data only}
    1. Blot I, Chenayer M, Diakhate L, Leluc R, Gross E, Tchernia G. Iron reserves in blood donors. Should we prescribe systematic iron supplementation?. Revue Francaise de Transfusion et Immuno‐hematologie 1980;23(2):119‐29. - PubMed
Böttiger 1971 {published data only}
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Charoenlarp 1981 {published data only}
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Greene 1995 {published data only}
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Isager 1974 {published data only}
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Izak 1973 {published data only}
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Parkinson 1981 {published data only}
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References to ongoing studies

IRCT201409082365N9 {published data only}
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References to other published versions of this review

Pasricha 2012
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Publication types