title: Positive Association of Vitamin E Supplementation with Hemoglobin Levels in Mildly Anemic Healthy Pakistani Adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hemoglobin levels slightly below the lower limit of normal are common in adults in the general population in developing countries. A few human studies have suggested the use of antioxidant vitamins in the correction of mild anemia. The objective of the present study was to investigate the association of vitamin E supplementation in mildly anemic healthy adults with post-supplemental blood hemoglobin levels in the general population of Karachi, Pakistan.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a single-blinded and placebo-controlled randomized trial, 124 mildly anemic subjects from the General Practitioners' Clinics and personnel of the Aga Khan University were randomized into intervention (n = 82) and control (n = 42) group. In the intervention group, each subject was given vitamin E (400 mg) everyday for a period of three months, while control group subjects received a placebo. Eighty six subjects completed the trial. Fasting venous blood was collected at baseline and after three months of supplementation. Hemoglobin levels and serum/plasma concentrations of vitamin E, vitamin B12, folate, ferritin, serum transferrin receptor (sTfR), glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, creatinine, total-antioxidant-status and erythropoietin were measured and analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and multiple linear regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The adjusted regression coefficients (β) and standard error [SE(β)] of the significant predictors of post-supplemental hemoglobin levels were serum concentration of vitamin E (0.983[0.095]), gender (- 0.656[0.244]), sTfR (- 0.06[0.02]) and baseline hemoglobin levels (0.768[0.077]).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study showed a positive association between vitamin E supplementation and enhanced hemoglobin levels in mildly anemic adults.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Tanveer
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jilani
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Community Health Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Iqbal
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Azam
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Bushra
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Moiz
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Naseema
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mehboobali
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Perwaiz Iqbal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis; D001786:Blood Glucose; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D005492:Folic Acid; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D010154:Pakistan; D010919:Placebos; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin / Q000097:blood; D012737:Sex Factors; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001786:Blood Glucose; D006454:Hemoglobins; D008055:Lipids; D010919:Placebos; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin; D004921:Erythropoietin; D014810:Vitamin E; D005293:Ferritins; D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12
keywords: Pakistani population; anemia; haemoglobin; randomized trial; vitamin E supplementation