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Review
. 2022 Jul 28:4:903937.
doi: 10.3389/fspor.2022.903937. eCollection 2022.

A contemporary understanding of iron metabolism in active premenopausal females

Claire E Badenhorst  1 , Adrienne K Forsyth  2 , Andrew D Govus  3
Affiliations
Review

A contemporary understanding of iron metabolism in active premenopausal females

Claire E Badenhorst et al. Front Sports Act Living. .

Abstract

Iron metabolism research in the past decade has identified menstrual blood loss as a key contributor to the prevalence of iron deficiency in premenopausal females. The reproductive hormones estrogen and progesterone influence iron regulation and contribute to variations in iron parameters throughout the menstrual cycle. Despite the high prevalence of iron deficiency in premenopausal females, scant research has investigated female-specific causes and treatments for iron deficiency. In this review, we provide a comprehensive discussion of factors that influence iron status in active premenopausal females, with a focus on the menstrual cycle. We also outline several practical guidelines for monitoring, diagnosing, and treating iron deficiency in premenopausal females. Finally, we highlight several areas for further research to enhance the understanding of iron metabolism in this at-risk population.

Keywords: hepcidin; iron regulation; iron status; menstrual cycle; menstruation.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Phases of the menstrual cycle and factors that collectively may contribute to the variability in hepcidin expression throughout the menstrual cycle in healthy eumenorrheic iron sufficient (serum fcrritin > 35 μg/L) females.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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