Effects of Different Doses of Oral Iron on Hepcidin and Treatment Response in Iron Deficiency Anemia

Introduction

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a common health problem. The hepcidin hormone is the main regulator of systemic iron balance. The body responds to IDA by decreasing hepcidin. This study investigated how different iron supplementation regimens affect hepcidin levels in women with IDA. 87 female participants aged 18–45 years with hemoglobin < 10 g/dL and serum ferritin < 20 ng/ml were assigned to receive iron therapy every other day, once daily, or twice daily. Hemogram, serum iron, serum iron binding capacity, ferritin, hepcidin, and C-reactive protein values were measured at baseline and on the 15th and 90th days of treatment in all groups. On the seventh day, no significant difference was found between the once-daily and twice-daily groups (p = 0.42) in reticulocyte counts. By the 15th day, hemoglobin and MCV levels showed significant improvement in the twice-daily group compared to the other groups (p < 0.01). At the third month, ferritin levels were significantly higher in the twice-daily group compared to the every-other-day and once-daily groups (p = 0.03). No significant differences were observed in hepcidin levels at three months across all groups. The study concludes that twice-daily iron supplementation results in the most significant hematological improvements but with increased gastrointestinal side effects. These findings underscore the importance of tailoring iron dosing schedules to individual patient needs. In cases where rapid haemoglobin response is required, twice-daily dosing may provide superior results. Conversely, once-daily dosing may be preferred if tolerable anemia can be maintained. Every other day dosing, although associated with fewer side effects and better tolerability, may not provide adequate support for erythropoiesis.