Therefore , vitamin A supplementation alone may reduce the risk of anemia , by improving hemoglobin and ferritin levels in individuals with low serum retinol levels
ABSTRACT Anemia is a worldwide public health problem that can be related to many causes , including vitamin A deficiency .
The aim of this study was to assess and estimate the effect of vitamin A supplementation ( VAS ) on iron status biomarkers and anemia in humans .
Vitamin A supplementation in children with poor vitamin A and iron status increases erythropoietin and hemoglobin concentrations without changing total body iron.
BACKGROUND Vitamin A deficiency impairs iron metabolism ; vitamin A supplementation of vitamin A-deficient population s may reduce anemia . The mechanism of these effects is unclear . In vitro and in animal models , vitamin A treatment increases the production of erythropoietin ( EPO ) , a stimulant of erythropoiesis . OBJECTIVE We measured the effect of vitamin A supplementation on hemoglobin , iron status , and circulating EPO concentrations in children with poor iron and vitamin A status . DESIGN In a double-blind , r and omized trial , Moroccan schoolchildren ( n = 81 ) were given either vitamin A ( 200,000 IU ) or placebo at baseline and at 5 mo . At baseline , 5 mo , and 10 mo , hemoglobin , indicators of iron and vitamin A status , and EPO were measured . RESULTS At baseline , 54 % of children were anemic ; 77 % had low vitamin A status . In the vitamin A group at 10 mo , serum retinol improved significantly compared with the control group ( P < 0.02 ) . Vitamin A treatment increased mean hemoglobin by 7 g/L ( P < 0.02 ) and reduced the prevalence of anemia from 54 % to 38 % ( P < 0.01 ) . Vitamin A treatment increased mean corpuscular volume ( P < 0.001 ) and decreased serum transferrin receptor ( P < 0.001 ) , indicating improved iron-deficient erythropoiesis .  Vitamin A decreased serum ferritin ( P < 0.02 ) , suggesting mobilization of hepatic iron stores . Calculated from the ratio of transferrin receptor to serum ferritin , overall body iron stores remained unchanged . In the vitamin A group at 10 mo , we observed an increase in EPO ( P < 0.05 ) and a decrease in the slope of the regression line of log10(EPO ) on hemoglobin ( P < 0.01 ) . CONCLUSION In children deficient in vitamin A and iron , vitamin A supplementation mobilizes iron from existing stores to support increased erythropoiesis , an effect likely mediated by increases in circulating EPO
Therefore , vitamin A supplementation alone may reduce the risk of anemia , by improving hemoglobin and ferritin levels in individuals with low serum retinol levels
ABSTRACT Anemia is a worldwide public health problem that can be related to many causes , including vitamin A deficiency .
The aim of this study was to assess and estimate the effect of vitamin A supplementation ( VAS ) on iron status biomarkers and anemia in humans .