Low dose iron may help reduce incidence of iron deficiency and anemia in pregnant women
Findings published in the Journal of Perinatal Medicine found that a low dose ferrous bisglycinate was equivalent to a higher dose ferrous salt with regard to hematological and iron status when used by expectant women.
In addition, the ferrous bisglycinate supplements led to fewer gastrointestinal complaints than the ferrous sulfate supplements, report scientists from Naestved Hospital in Denmark.
Max Motyka, Director of Sales and Marketing for Albion’s Human Nutrition Division, said: “In this peer-reviewed study, ferrous bisglycinate was taken by 80 Danish pregnant women throughout their pregnancy with measurements taken at 15-19, 27-29 and 36-37 weeks.
“Women were assigned to either a group that took a 25 mg dose of a ferrous bisglycinate elemental iron per day or a control group using a 50 mg dose of ferrous sulfate elemental iron per day for the designated time period. In addition, the newborn weight for the ferrous bisglycinate group was slightly higher than the control group.”
According to Albion, the conclusions from the study suggest that adequate prevention of iron deficiency or iron deficiency anemia can be achieved using a low dose of ferrous iron from 15-19 weeks of gestation with appreciable side effects such as lower gastrointestinal distress and healthier baby birth weights.
These findings are very important in for women with a preference or greater tolerance for a lower dose of iron, added the company.
Source: Journal of Perinatal Medicine
2013, Volume 24, Pages 1-10, doi: 10.1515/jpm-2013-0153
“Ferrous bisglycinate 25 mg iron is as effective as ferrous sulfate 50 mg iron in the prophylaxis of iron deficiency and anemia during pregnancy in a randomized trial”
Authors: N. Milman, L. Jønsson, P. Dyre, P.L. Pedersen, L.G. Larsen
