Fatigue and anemia not necessarily linked - Medical News From Around The World - Brief Article

Nutrition Health Review, Summer, 2003

SWITZERLAND -- One of the most common symptoms of iron deficiency anemia is fatigue, which can significantly hinder a person's productivity and quality of life. After a large study showed that many women who were iron-deficient did not necessarily have anemia, Swiss researchers set out to examine the effects of iron supplementation in 144 non-anemic women, aged 18 to 55, who complained of unexplainable fatigue.

The women who participated in the study were divided into two groups. One group received 80 mg of oral ferrous sulfate, and the other group received a placebo. A 10-point Visual Analogue Scale was used to measure the amount of fatigue each woman experienced as the study progressed.

After four weeks, the mean fatigue score had decreased by 29 percent in the women treated with iron supplements and by 13 percent in the women who received the placebo.

The results of this study suggest strongly that women of childbearing age can experience fatigue caused by an iron deficiency, even if they do not have anemia. The findings indicate that women may benefit from iron supplementation to combat unexplained fatigue.

(Source: British Medical Journal May 24, 2003; 326:1124-1126.)