Iron supplements are good for those who suffer from anemia. But does it have any positive effects for those who are not necessarily anemic? As they say, why fix it if it isn’t broke?
This was the very question that Swiss researches aimed to answer with their study; which had women participants taking iron supplements even if they did not have anemia.
Iron and Fatigue
As it turns out, there may be some benefit derived from taking iron supplements despite not being anemic. The iron supplements, as it turned out, were also good for keeping fatigue and stress at bay, particularly among women.
Iron deficiency is usually measured through the hemoglobin, or that blood cell protein carrying oxygen. The difficulty with this, however, is that detection of low iron usually comes at too late a stage. Particularly, it will not show itself until after the hemoglobin level already drops so low as to indicate a full-blown anemia.
Fatigue, on the other hand, is that condition wherein the person feels physically exhausted, and is not functioning at the peak of their energies. There’s always the feeling of grogginess, tiredness, and overall, just the general lack of energy.
Sometimes, it can be caused by work-related stress, or some heavy emotional burden. In some cases, however, fatigue just mysteriously sets in. In this case, the researchers of the study find that there may be a correlation between low levels of iron and one’s susceptibility to fatigue.
The Iron Supplements Experiment
The researchers had 200 women, with unexplained fatigue, participate in the study. Half of them were asked to take 80 milligrams of iron per day. The other half, meanwhile, were given placebos. At the end of the study period of 12 weeks, it was found that the women group who was getting more iron through the supplements had a drop rate of fatigue levels from 25 to 13, this on a scale of 0-40. Now, the placebo group also did experience some relief, although the decline was less, at 25 to 16.
Approach With Caution
Now, although this study, published at the Canadian Medical Association Journal, points to iron supplements as a potentially effective protection against the onslaught of fatigue, this does not necessarily mean that you should go taking it indiscriminately.
Iron supplements are not like multivitamins that you can just take without fear of side-effects. Among the many effects it can have on you are diarrhea, nausea, and constipation. Besides, if beefing up your iron levels is your concern, then the safest way is for you to get a balanced diet, including foods rich in iron, such as beef, beans, and cereals.
Most importantly, make sure to check up with your doctor first to ensure that getting iron supplements are going to be safe for you. Do not self-diagnose. That’s what professionals are there for.