Iron state in female adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
To document a subjective response to iron therapy in female adolescents.


METHODS
Double-blind, placebo-controlled prospective study.


METHODS
High school classes in an urban community in Israel.


METHODS
Twenty-nine girls, aged 16 and 17 years, who ingested syrup containing iron (daily for 2 months) and 30 girls who received a placebo.


RESULTS
By the end of the study, a statistically significant improvement in three subjective parameters, ie, lassitude, the ability to concentrate in school, and mood was reported by the girls who ingested iron compared with the controls. Sixty-five percent, 100%, and 65% of the girls, respectively, who reported improvement in the above-mentioned parameters were hypoferremic initially and became normoferremic by the end of the study.


CONCLUSIONS
Iron supplementation may be of benefit to female adolescents, as evidenced by their responses to subjective parameters.
Ballin
A
A
Institute of Haematology, E. Wolfson Hospital, Holon and Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Berar
M
M
Rubinstein
U
U
Kleter
Y
Y
Hershkovitz
A
A
Meytes
D
D
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects*; D000747:Anemia, Hypochromic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects*; D004034:Diet Surveys; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005296:Ferrous Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008403:Mass Screening; D008598:Menstruation; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014505:Urban Population
D005296:Ferrous Compounds