Faruk Ahmed|Mohammad Rezwan Khan|Alan A. Jackson
Concomitant supplemental vitamin A enhances the response to weekly supplemental iron and folic acid in anemic teenagers in urban Bangladesh
University of Dhaka|University of Southampton|University of Southampton|University of Dhaka|University of Dhaka|University of Southampton
iron deficiency common micronutrient deficiency affects 2 billion persons worldwide leading anemia 40 women reproductive age developing worldthe objective determine whether weekly supplementation iron folate would reduce frequency anemia teenage women urban bangladesh became pregnantparticipants hemoglobin concentration 80120 gl entered randomized doubleblind placebocontrolled trial received supplements placebo vitamin iron folic acid iron folic acid vitamin weekly 12 wk supplements contained 242 mg vitamin retinol retinyl palmitate 120 mg elemental fe ferrous sulfate 35 mg folic acidhemoglobin concentrations increased significantly supplementation iron folic acid iron folic acid vitamin either placebo vitamin alone significantly greater increase hemoglobin iron folic acid vitamin iron folic acid additional effect disappeared adjustment baseline hemoglobin serum vitamin ferritin number supplements taken lowest baseline hemoglobin greatest increase hemoglobin compared placebo iron folic acid vitamin reduced anemia 92 iron deficiency 90 vitamin deficiency 76there may significant health benefits program enhances nutritional status iron folate vitamin poor urban young women become pregnant