Iron intake and multiple health outcomes: Umbrella review.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to systematically evaluate the relationships between iron intake (dietary and supplemental) and various health outcomes.
Results Summary
Heme iron intake was positively associated with adverse outcomes like colorectal cancer and cardiovascular disease mortality, while dietary total iron intake showed protective effects against conditions such as colorectal adenoma and depression. Iron supplementation had mixed effects, being protective for some outcomes but associated with reduced growth metrics in others.
Population
Not specified (umbrella review of existing meta-analyses).
Effective Dosage
Not specified.
Duration
Not specified.
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Heme iron intake | increase | colorectal cancer | - | - | positively associated | #1 |
Heme iron intake | increase | type 2 diabetes mellitus | - | - | positively associated | #2 |
Heme iron intake | increase | cardiovascular disease mortality | - | - | positively associated | #3 |
Dietary total iron intake | decrease | colorectal adenoma | - | - | could decrease the risk | #4 |
Dietary total iron intake | decrease | esophageal cancer | - | - | could decrease the risk | #5 |
Dietary total iron intake | decrease | coronary heart disease | - | - | could decrease the risk | #6 |
Dietary total iron intake | decrease | depression | - | - | could decrease the risk | #7 |
Iron supplementation | decrease | eight outcomes | - | - | protective factor | #8 |
Iron supplementation | decrease | length | - | - | associated with decreased | #9 |
Iron supplementation | decrease | weight gain | - | - | associated with decreased | #10 |
High iron intake | increase | a range of outcomes | - | - | significantly associated | #11 |
Iron is an essential trace element, while excess iron can lead to different levels of physical abnormalities or diseases. This umbrella review aimed to conduct a systematic evaluation of the possible relationships between iron intake and various health outcomes. We retrieved PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews from inception through May 2021. A total of 34 meta-analyses with 46 unique health outcomes were identified. Heme iron intake was positively associated with nine outcomes, including colorectal cancer, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular disease mortality, while dietary total iron intake could decrease the risk of colorectal adenoma, esophageal cancer, coronary heart disease, and depression. Iron supplementation was a protective factor against eight outcomes. However, it was associated with decreased length and weight gain. The quality of evidence for most outcomes was "low" or "very low" with the remaining eleven as "high" or "moderate". All outcomes were categorized as class III, IV, or NS based on evidence classification. Although high iron intake has been identified to be significantly associated with a range of outcomes, firm universal conclusions about its beneficial or negative effects cannot be drawn given the low quality of evidence for most outcomes.