Ferrous sulfate and non-transferrin-bound iron in women
What it found
In 10 women with low iron stores, ferrous sulfate raised serum iron and circulating non-transferrin-bound iron more than sodium iron EDTA or iron polymaltose.
Iron polymaltose gave serum iron responses no different from water.
What they found
Studies in people
Ferrous sulfate response
Ferrous sulfate produced significantly greater rises in serum iron and non-transferrin-bound iron than water or the other two iron compounds.
Iron polymaltose response
Serum iron responses to iron polymaltose did not differ from those to water alone.
Slow-release compounds
The two slow-release compounds, sodium iron EDTA and iron polymaltose, greatly suppressed the appearance of non-transferrin-bound iron in the blood after supplementation.
Men versus women
The slope of the relationship between iron and non-transferrin-bound iron is steeper in men than in women.
What the authors conclude
“These two bioavailable forms of iron supplement could represent a safe option for supplementation in malarial areas.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say the two slow-release iron compounds, sodium iron EDTA and iron polymaltose, resulted in a highly significant suppression of non-transferrin-bound iron in the circulation after supplementation.
- They suggest these two bioavailable forms of iron supplement could represent a safe option for supplementation in malarial areas.
How it was done
Iron supplements can interact badly with malaria, so the authors wanted to assess new options for preventing anemia in areas where falciparum malaria is common.
They gave 10 Guatemalan women with marginal iron stores 100 mg of iron as ferrous sulfate, sodium iron EDTA, or iron polymaltose, or water alone, in a randomized order. Blood samples were taken every 90 minutes for 270 minutes. They compared the results with data from the same protocol in men with adequate iron.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- The study was small, with only 10 women, so the results may not apply to all women.
- It only looked at short-term changes in blood iron over 270 minutes, not at malaria or other health outcomes.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Research Center for Nutrition and Food Science (ZIEL), Germany
The paper
- Title
- Differences in circulating non-transferrin-bound iron after oral administration of ferrous sulfate, sodium iron EDTA, or iron polymaltose in women with marginal iron stores
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Schümann K, Solomons NW, Orozco M, Romero-Abal ME, Weiss G (2013). Differences in circulating non-transferrin-bound iron after oral administration of ferrous sulfate, sodium iron EDTA, or iron polymaltose in women with marginal iron stores. Food and nutrition bulletin. doi:10.1177/156482651303400207PubMed 23964391DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error