| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|||||||||
Original Research |
Research Centre for Gender and Health (A.J.P., W.J.B.), The University of Queensland, QLD, AUSTRALIA
Discipline of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (D.C.K.R.), The University of Queensland, QLD, AUSTRALIA
School of Human Movement Studies (W.J.B.), The University of Queensland, QLD, AUSTRALIA
Address reprint requests to: Amanda Patterson, Ph.D., Research Centre for Gender and Health, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, AUSTRALIA. E-mail: whajp{at}alinga.newcastle.edu.au
Objective: To examine the effects of iron deficiency and its treatment by iron supplementation or a high iron diet on fatigue and general health measures in women of childbearing age.
Design: Randomised controlled trial to compare supplement and dietary treatment of iron deficiency.
Subjects: 44 iron deficient (serum ferritin <15 µg/L or serum ferritin 15–20 µg/L, plus two of the following: serum iron <10 µmol/L, total iron binding capacity >68 µmol/L or transferrin saturation <15%) and 22 iron replete (hemoglobin 
120 g/L and serum ferritin >20 µg/L) women 18 to 50 years of age were matched for age and parity.
Interventions: Iron deficient women were randomly allocated to either iron supplementation or a high iron diet for 12 weeks.
Measures of Outcome: Iron deficient and iron replete participants had iron studies performed and completed the Piper Fatigue Scale (PFS) and the SF-36 general health and well-being questionnaire at baseline (T0), following the 12 week intervention (T1) and again after a six-month non-intervention phase (T2). The SF-36 includes measures of physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) health and vitality (VT).
Results: MCS and VT scores were lower and PFS scores were higher for iron deficient women (diet and supplement groups) than iron replete women at baseline. Both intervention groups showed similar improvements in MCS, VT and PFS scores during the intervention phase, but mean increases in serum ferritin were greater in the supplement than the diet group. PCS scores were not related to iron status.
Conclusions: Treatment of iron deficiency with either supplementation or a high iron diet results in improved mental health and decreased fatigue among women of childbearing age.
Key words: iron deficiency, women, fatigue, mental health, diet therapy, supplement
Abbreviations: ALSWH=Australian Longitudinal Study of Women’s Health • GHQ=General Health Questionnaire • MCS=Mental Component Summary score of the SF-36 • PCS=Physical Component Summary score of the SF-36 • PFS=Piper Fatigue Scale • SF-36=SF-36 general health and well-being questionnaire • T0=baseline or pre-intervention • T1=post-intervention • T2=follow-up • VT=Vitality subscale of the SF-36
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  M.-A. Grondin, M. Ruivard, A. Perreve, H. Derumeaux-Burel, I. Perthus, J. Roblin, F. Thiollieres, and L. Gerbaud Prevalence of Iron Deficiency and Health-related Quality of Life among Female Students J. Am. Coll. Nutr., April 1, 2008; 27(2): 337 - 341. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. J Zhou, R. A Gibson, C. A Crowther, P. Baghurst, and M. Makrides Effect of iron supplementation during pregnancy on the intelligence quotient and behavior of children at 4 y of age: long-term follow-up of a randomized controlled trial Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, May 1, 2006; 83(5): 1112 - 1117. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 F Verdon, B Burnand, C-L F. Stubi, C Bonard, M Graff, A Michaud, T Bischoff, M de Vevey, J-P Studer, L Herzig, et al. Iron supplementation for unexplained fatigue in non-anaemic women: double blind randomised placebo controlled trial BMJ, May 22, 2003; 326(7399): 1124. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
