Karuna Kumar: Interesting Trial from Gambia on Treating Iron Deficiency in Children
Karuna Kumar, Senior Consultant at Yashoda Hospitals, shared a post on LinkedIn about a recent article by Mamadou Bah published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, adding:
“Interesting trial from Gambia on treating iron deficiency in children.
The problem:
- Ferrous sulfate tablets work poorly in kids with chronic inflammation.
- Poor absorption.
- GI upset.
- Low compliance.
This study tested heme iron polypeptide (HIP) against standard ferrous salts.
Heme iron is the form found in meat.
It absorbs through a different pathway than regular iron supplements.
Doesn’t get blocked by inflammation the same way.
The results?
Both raised hemoglobin. But heme iron had better tolerability and absorption in kids with high inflammation markers.
Why this matters for India:
We have millions of children with chronic infections, parasites, and subclinical inflammation.
Standard iron tablets often fail them.
Heme iron supplements exist but are underused. They cost more, yes. But if regular iron isn’t working after 2-3 months, it’s worth considering.
Not every anemia responds to the cheapest option. Sometimes you need to match the treatment to the patient.”
Title: Heme iron compared with ferrous iron salts to treat iron deficiency anemia in Gambian children: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Mamadou Bah, Hans Verhoef, Emmanuel Okoh, Abdoulie Bah, Alhasan Colley, Alasana Saidykhan, Andrew M Prentice, Carla Cerami
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