Oral supplementation with NaFeEDTA reduces blood lead in postmenopausal but not premenopausal Korean women with anemia.
OBJECTIVE
The objective was to evaluate the effect of iron supplementation for 6 mo on blood lead (PbB) concentration in populations of premenopausal (PRE-M) and postmenopausal (POST-M) Korean women.


METHODS
We conducted a community intervention trial in Asan, Republic of Korea. Of the 137 enrolled women with hemoglobin (Hb) levels lower than 12 g/dL, 37 were PRE-M and 100 were POST-M. Each woman received the equivalent of 9 mg of supplemental iron per day in the form of sodium-iron ethylene-diaminetetra-acetic acid (NaFeEDTA) syrup for a period of 6 mo.


RESULTS
The initial PbB concentrations were 2.56 +/- 0.99 microg/dL (mean +/- SD) for the PRE-M women and 3.27 +/- 1.24 microg/dL for the POST-M women. The differences were statistically significant (P < 0.01). After 6 mo of NaFeEDTA supplementation, the PbB concentration decreased in the POST-M group but no change was observed in the PRE-M group. When age and baseline Hb levels were adjusted for, PbB concentrations decreased by 0.10 and 0.31 microg/dL in the PRE-M and POST-M groups, respectively, and the results were significant using a multivariate model (P = 0.016). Iron status determined by zinc protoporphyrin, transferrin saturation, and Hb improved significantly in both groups, but serum ferritin decreased significantly in the POST-M women (P < 0.001), with no change in the PRE-M group.


CONCLUSIONS
After 6 mo of supplementation with the equivalent of 9 mg of iron/d in the form of NaFeEDTA, the PbB concentrations in Korean women with anemia appeared to depend on their menopausal status.
Kim
Hee-Seon
HS
Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Soonchunhyang University, Choongnam, Republic of Korea.
Kim
Min-Kyoung
MK
Lee
Byung-Kook
BK
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood*; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D008593:Menopause / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D015995:Prevalence; D011524:Protoporphyrins / Q000378:metabolism
D005290:Ferric Compounds; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents; D011524:Protoporphyrins; C017803:zinc protoporphyrin; D007854:Lead; D005293:Ferritins; D004492:Edetic Acid; D007501:Iron; C019179:Fe(III)-EDTA