Energy restriction and iron supplementation improve iron status in women with obesity regardless of red meat consumption: a randomized controlled trial
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study designs: Randomized Controlled Trial, Clinical Trial
Abstract: Iron deficiency without anemia (IDNA) may be linked to obesity-related inflammation. Weight reduction and heme-iron intake from red meat are proposed to improve iron status. This randomized controlled trial (NCT06104800) assessed the impact of a low-calorie, high-protein diet with red meat (RM) compared to a low-calorie, high-protein diet without red meat (WR) over 60 days on iron concentrations in women with obesity and IDNA receiving oral iron supplementation. Fifty-two females were randomized (26 per group); 45 completed the study. After intervention, serum iron increased for both groups: RM 55.8 ± 27.0 µg/dL to 69.8 ± 30.5 µg/dL, p = 0.05; WR 65.3 ± 28.4 µg/dL to 76.8 ± 45.6 µg/dL, p = 0.27. However, group-by-time analysis showed no significant differences between dietary interventions (p = 0.55). Additional significant improvements (p < 0.05) in secondary and exploratory outcomes included ferritin, transferrin, unsaturated iron-binding capacity, uric acid, and fat mass. In conclusion, no statistically significant benefit of red meat consumption over other dietary iron sources, when combined with oral iron supplementation, was demonstrated for improving iron status in women with obesity and IDNA.
Source: Scientific Reports
Authors: Salvador Ortiz-Gutiérrez, Aurora E. Serralde-Zúñiga, Luis E. González-Salazar, M. Guadalupe Estrada-Trujillo, Adriana Flores-Lopéz, Karla G. Hernández-Gómez, Edgar Pichardo-Ontiveros, Andrea Díaz-Villaseñor, Azalia Ávila-Nava, Natalia Vázquez-Manjarrez, Mariana Villegas-Romero, Rocio Guizar-Heredia, Angélica Borja-Magno, Berenice Palacios-González, Héctor Infante-Sierra, Elena Tuna-Aguilar, Laura A. Velázquez-Villegas, Ana Vigil-Martínez, Ana Ligia Gutiérrez-Solis, Brenda Pacheco-Hernández, Isabel Medina-Vera, Adriana M. López-Barradas, Emma Chávez-Manzanera, J. Gerardo Reyes-García, Nimbe Torres, Armando R. Tovar, Martha Guevara-Cruz
Institutions: Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Servicios de Salud del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social para el Bienestar, National Institute of Genomic Medicine, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Institute for Social Security and Services for State Workers, Instituto Nacional de Pediatria
Language: English
Subfield: Hematology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,690
OpenAlex ID: W7161994940