Iron supplementation in treating fatigue amongst non-anaemic iron-deficient women

Abstract

Overview of the topic: Iron-deficiency is known to be a common condition which causes a lot of symptoms, one of which is fatigue. If untreated this can lead to disability and poor quality of life. Iron supplements are recommended to increase ferritin levels and thus decrease the levels of fatigue and improve quality of life. The research question: In non-anaemic women with low ferritin levels, what is the effect of iron supplementation on fatigue compared with no administration of iron supplements? The PICO elements: The population under study included adolescent/adult women who were iron deficient non-anaemic with symptoms of fatigue. The intervention was administering iron supplements, with the comparison being a placebo (no administration of iron supplements). The expected outcome was to decrease and improve the level of fatigue. The Method: When the PICO elements were identified, alternative terms were generated, and limiters were applied to specify the search results. Boolean operators were used in different databases to combine the key terms and thus continue specifying the hits provided and eliminating irrelevant articles. More articles were eliminated by including an inclusion and exclusion criteria and by using the PRISMA flow. The relevant studies were critically appraised using a CASP tool. Results: The five relevant articles were made up of one prospective cohort study and four RCTs. All studies carried out the intervention of iron supplementation with the comparison of a placebo group with the intention of treating fatigue. They all resulted in a decrease or improvement in the level of fatigue. Conclusion: From the gathered literature and their statistical results it can be concluded that all studies provided true and valid results regarding the effect of iron supplementation in decreasing the level of fatigue in iron-deficient non-anaemic women. However, there still needs to be more research regarding specific doses required to treat a specific amount of fatigue. The implications and most important recommendations: Making sure to take blood tests to keep track of the iron levels and thus be able to control the deficiency. Taking certain foods to help absorption of supplements and increasing iron rich foods in one’s diet. Ensuring that fatigue is taken care of by planning the day so as not to get exhausted.