Thursday July 24, 2014 (foodconsumer.org) -- A new study shows that ferrous iron supplements were more effective than ferric ion supplements at treating iron deficiency induced anemia.

In the study, 30 patients with iron deficiency anemia were treated with oral ferric protein succinylate tablets (2 × 40 mg elemental iron/day) and 34 patients were treated with oral ferrous glycine sulphate tablets (2 × 40 mg elemental iron/day) for three months.  Blood tests were performed before and after treatment.  

It was found that oral ferric protein succinylate tablets increased haemoglobin and haematocrit by 0.95 g/dL and 2.62%, compared with increases by 2.25 g/dL and 5.91% in those taking oral ferrous glycine sulphate tablets.  The ferrous preparation used in the study was well tolerated, highly effective, and of low cost. (David Liu)

Reference

Berber I, Diri H, Erkurt MA, Aydogdu I, Kaya E, Kuku I., Evaluation of ferric and ferrous iron therapies in women with iron deficiency anaemia.  Adv Hematol. 2014;2014:297057