Iron pills may help non-anaemic women beat fatigue by 50pc

London, July 11 (ANI): Women suffering from unexplained fatigue can boost their energy levels by almost 50 percent, by taking iron pills, according to a new study.

Scientists found that supplements of the mineral helped combat feeling of exhaustion even in women who were not classified as anaemic.

Taking supplements for 12 weeks reduced fatigue by almost a half in women who had low levels but were not deficient.

Fatigue is commonly reported by patients visiting their doctor with nearly a third complaining of the symptom at appointments.

Researchers said that women are three times more likely than men to report feelings of fatigue.

A randomised controlled trial concerning 198 menstruating women between the ages of 18 and 50 years was conducted, with the women all iron deficient, non anaemic, with unexplained fatigue and ferritin levels below 50g/L. Ferritin is a protein that stores iron and controls its release into the body.

The trial was double-blinded, so neither the participants nor the health care providers knew which group was receiving the supplement or placebo.

Results showed that iron supplementation for 12 weeks decreased fatigue by almost 50 percent, with a significant difference of 19 percent compared with the placebo.

Positive effects on haemoglobin, ferritin and other blood levels were clear just six weeks after iron supplementation.

"We found that iron supplementation for 12 weeks decreased fatigue by almost 50 per cent from baseline, a significant difference of 19 per cent compared with placebo, in menstruating iron-deficient nonanaemic women with unexplained fatigue and ferritin levels below 50g/L," the Daily Mail quoted Dr Bernard Favrat, of the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, as saying.

"Iron deficiency may be an under-recognised cause of fatigue in women of child-bearing age.

"If fatigue is not due to secondary causes, the identification of iron deficiency as a potential cause may prevent inappropriate attribution of symptoms to emotional causes or life stressors, thereby reducing the unnecessary use of health care resources, including inappropriate pharmacologic treatments," Dr Favrat added. (ANI)