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Oral iron therapy is plagued by relatively poor absorption and gastrointestinal side effects. In a previous 2-day study, researchers demonstrated that fractional iron absorption is suppressed by high doses of oral iron (compared with lower doses) and by twice-daily dosing (compared with once-daily dosing; NEJM JW Gen Med Dec 1 2015 and Blood 2015; 126:1981). Now, the researchers have extended their previous observations.
They recruited healthy young Swiss women with low or low-normal iron stores (serum ferritin levels, ≤25 μg/L) and normal or only mildly low hemoglobin levels. In one experiment, 40 participants were randomized to receive 60 mg of iron (as ferrous sulfate) either every morning for 14 days or on alternate mornings for 28 days.…