This might be of interest for anyone who struggles to raise their iron levels or is frequently anaemic or nearly anaemic

[humanbean]

I should point out that this paper is old. It was first published in 2000.

The second thing I want to point out is that it has 176 references, which to my mind is quite bizarre, but some of them could be of interest.

And thirdly, the link is to the abstract only but there is an option to "Save PDF" which allows you to print the entire paper or save it for posterity or read the whole thing online.

As someone who has a history of being low in iron/ferritin and who took nearly two years to raise ferritin to mid-range I found it interesting.

Title : The role of vitamins in the prevention and control of anaemia

Link : cambridge.org/core/journals...

Abstract

Objective

While iron deficiency is regarded as the major cause of nutritional anaemia, changes in vitamins A, B12, C and E, folic acid and riboflavin status have also been linked to its development and control. This paper provides a systematic review of vitamin supplementation trials relating to the control of nutritional anaemia.

Methods

A MEDLINE search was used to find reports of vitamin supplementation trials that reported changes in anaemia or iron status.

Results

Vitamin A can improve haematological indicators and enhance the efficacy of iron supplementation. Both folate and vitamin B12 can cure and prevent megaloblastic anaemia. Riboflavin enhances the haematological response to iron, and its deficiency may account for a significant proportion of anaemia in many populations. Vitamin C enhances the absorption of dietary iron, although population-based data showing its efficacy in reducing anaemia or iron deficiency are lacking. Vitamin E supplementation given to preterm infants has not reduced the severity of the anaemia of prematurity. Vitamin B6 effectively treats sideroblastic anaemia. Multivitamin supplementation may raise haemoglobin (Hb) concentration, but few studies have isolated the effect of multivitamins from iron on haematological status.

Conclusions

In general, the public health impact of vitamin supplementation in controlling anaemia is not clear. Neither are the complex interactions involving multiple vitamins in haematopoiesis sufficiently understood to explain the observed variability in haematological responses to vitamins by age, population, vitamin mixture and dosages. Further research is needed to understand the roles of individual and combined vitamin deficiencies on anaemia to design appropriate micronutrient interventions to prevent anaemia.

[SecondAngel]

The paper has so many references because it is a literature review, that is they looked at those 167 papers to see if a conclusion could be reached by looking at all the research available.

[humanbean in reply to SecondAngel]

Thanks. I hadn't realised that.

[gabkad in reply to humanbean]

What I learned recently is that iron supplement should be taken every other day because it is more efficiently absorbed. So given that some people get put off by side effects if taken every day, there is actually no need to do so.

[humanbean in reply to gabkad]

I wrote a thread about that every-other-day research and wasn't so convinced about the logic of it, personally, at least in some cases.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[gabkad in reply to humanbean]

There seem to be people on this forum who have a hard time of it because of adverse effects, so taking it every other day would provide some relief. And too often I see results posted when someone has been taking iron but their ferritin shift is unremarkable. Possibly they are taking a too small dose which is possible. Or they aren't consistent. But anyway, it appears some people have a hard time increasing their iron stores.

I have the opposite problem so taking iron will eventually poison me. I'm getting ferritin tested this week coming up. I eat a low iron diet so I'm hoping the ferritin hasn't gone too high or I have to start donating blood again.

🧐

[bookish]

Very interesting, and timely, thanks. Best wishes

[catrich]

Thank you - interesting. I really struggle to raise my ferritin too, even enjoying liver twice a week and eating a fair amount of green veg. (I would imagine there are 170+ references because it's a review and not just of one vitamin but a number. Inc. studies of multivits. Though no-where in the text does it state how many papers were included in the final analysis.)