Iron Supplementation in

Female Adolescents
Nicole Aucoin
Brietta Oaks
NFS 441
Function
● Key nutrient during growth
○ Puberty
● Carries oxygen around the body
specifically in muscles and blood
● Necessary for red blood cells and
numerous proteins and enzymes
○ 70% of iron is found in red blood cells
and is called hemoglobin
○ The rest found in muscles is called
myoglobin

http://arogyamasthu.com/top-8-foods-to-increase-
red-blood-cells/
 Importance During Adolescence
● Dietary requirements are increased during
Adolescents
● Intensive growth and muscle development =
increase blood volume
○ More iron needed
● Especially important in females who will begin a
menstrual cycle
● Important to learn now rather than later!

https://www.dreamstime.com/stock
-illustration-cute-cartoon-
illustration-teenage-girls-students-
image44405619
 Deficiency
● Present when serum ferritin levels are less than 12
micrograms/L
○ Hemoglobin level is less than 120 g/L in iron deficiency anemia
● Symptoms include:
○ Fatigue
○ Pale skin
○ Brittle nails
○ Pica
● Best way to overcome deficiency is to eat iron rich foods
and take a supplement if necessary and directed by a
doctor

https://youngwomenshealth.org/2013/
12/06/iron/
 http://www.naturemade.com/?
&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjq_l6a6
X1wIVDjNpCh0XGwQLEAAY
ASAAEgKeV_D_BwE#feKUm
yzFyCEiVbA0.97

Supplementation
● Goal is to increase iron stores
○ Dosage is higher than RDA (16.3mg/day)
● Food first
○ Leafy greens, meats, shellfish, fortified cereals
● 1-3 times a day
● Takes about 6 months for iron stores to
increase
○ Vitamin C assists in absorption
○ Calcium supplements and caffeine affect
absorption negatively
● Can reduce risk of anemia and iron
deficiency
https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/article
s/10.1186/1475-2891-9-4
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti
cle/pii/S0140673696023410
Side Effects in Adolescents
Iron pills can cause multiple, unwanted side effects such
as

● Heartburn
● Stomach ache
● Constipation
● Vomiting

Half a dose can lessen side effects

Side effects can be lessened if the supplement is taken

with food
www.youngwomenshealth.org
Questions?
References
1. Anonymous Center for Young Women's Health: www.youngwomenshealth.org. Medicine on the Net 2011;17:20.

2. Mesias M, Seiquer, Navarro MP. Iron Nutrition in Adolescence. PubMed 2013;

3. Bruner AB, Joffe A, Duggan AK, Casella JF, Brandt J. Randomised study of cognitive effects of iron supplementation in non-anaemic iron-
deficient adolescent girls. The Lancet 1996;348:992-6.

4. Falkingham M, Abdelhamid A, Curtis P, Fairweather-Tait S, Dye L, Hooper L. The effects of oral iron supplementation on cognition in older
children and adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrition journal 2010;9:4.

5. Niwattisaiwong S, Burman KD, Li-Ng M. Iodine deficiency: Clinical implications. Cleve Clin J Med 2017;84:236-44.