This systematic review indicates that iron supplementation increases  Hb levels in children significantly but modestly .
The increase is greater in subjects who are anaemic at the start of the trial and lower in malarial hyperendemic areas and in those consuming iron-fortified food .
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of iron supplementation on  haemoglobin ( Hb ) in children through a systematic review of r and omised controlled trials .
Iron Nutrition and Growth of Breast- and Formula‐Fed Infants During the First 9 Months of Life
Feeding of iron (Fe)-fortified ( 12–15 mg/L ) infant formulas is an effective and convenient means to protect infants from Fe deficiency . To study lower levels of Fe fortification of infant formulas ( 3 or 6 mg/L ) compared with those currently in use , we compared Fe intake and Fe nutritional status of three groups of healthy , term infants between 90 and 274 days of age . One group received an Fe-fortified whey-predominant formula ( 3 mg/ L ) and the second group received the same formula with a higher Fe level ( 6 mg/L ) . A comparison group was breast-fed at least until 274 days of age . All infants received infant foods and cereals according to European Community recommendations . Mean Fe intake of infants fed formula fortified with 3 mg/L was significantly lower at 183 and 274 days of age ( p < 0.05 ) than that of infants fed formula fortified with 6 mg/L. None of the infants fed the formula fortified with 3 mg/L met the recommended daily allowance value ( 10 mg ) for infants between 6 and 12 months of age . Hemoglobin , hematocrit , mean corpuscular volume , free erythrocyte protoporphyrin , and serum ferritin levels were similar in the formula-fed groups ; none of the infants had depleted Fe stores ( ferritin < 10 μg/L ) at 183 and 274 days of age . Thirteen percent of breast-fed infants had depleted Fe stores at 183 days of age , but only 3 % were depleted at 273 days of age , when Fe-fortified beikost was already part of the diet . No influence of Fe nutritional status was found on zinc and copper nutritional status or on growth . We conclude that regular consumption of an infant formula fortified with 3 mg Fe/L , a level substantially below present recommendations , prevents healthy , term infants from developing Fe deficiency during the first 6 months of life . It is preferable that infants 6 months of age and older receive an Fe-fortified formula and a judicious selection of beikost to ensure an adequate dietary intake of Fe
This systematic review indicates that iron supplementation increases  Hb levels in children significantly but modestly .
The increase is greater in subjects who are anaemic at the start of the trial and lower in malarial hyperendemic areas and in those consuming iron-fortified food .
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of iron supplementation on  haemoglobin ( Hb ) in children through a systematic review of r and omised controlled trials .