Iron-fortified milk can improve iron status in young women with low iron stores

A considerable proportion of the populations of developing and industrialised nations does not meet the recommended daily allowance for iron and are thus at risk of chronic iron-deficiency anaemia. In a placebo-controlled, double-blind study we investigated whether supplementation with iron-enriched milk can improve the iron status in young women with low iron stores. Sixty-two women aged 20-36 years with serum ferritin concentrations </= 22 mug/l were given 400 ml/d of commercial milk (reference milk; n=30) or milk enriched with 1.75 mg/100 ml micro-compartmented iron and 10 mg/100 ml vitamin C (Fe-milk; n=32) as part of their habitual diets for 8 weeks. The Fe-milk was found to increase ferritin concentrations from 13.3+/-6.9 mug/l (mean+/-SD) to 17.7+/-11.8 mug/l after 8 weeks, whereas the reference milk resulted in a decline from 12.6+/-6.8 mug/l to 10.6+/-8.1 mug/l (p=0.01). After 8 weeks haemoglobin was higher in women receiving Fe-milk (135.5+/-1.0) than in women receiving reference milk (131.4+/-1.5 g/l; p=0.03). Conclusion: Milk enriched with micro-compartmented iron and vitamin C can increase depleted iron stores in reproductive age women.