Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J L Beard.
This review has a focus on the distribution and function of iron in human brain and appropriate animal models. Data are presented on the consequences of abnormalities of iron status with regard to neural development, neurotransmitter metabolism, and cognition.
We examined changes in iron status in 25 female varsity collegiate swimmers over the course of a competitive season via weekly capillary blood sampling. We also studied the effectiveness of moderate iron supplementation (39 mg/day) in preventing expected changes in iron status via a double-blinded crossover design. On entry into the study, 17 of the swimmers had depleted iron stores (plasma ferritin < 12 micrograms/L) and 5 were anemic (Hb < 120 g/L). After 5 wk of placebo treatment, hemoglobin decreased (> or = 6 g/L) in 44% and increased in 12% of the subjects. After 5 wk of iron supplementation, hemoglobin decreased in 16% and increased in 24% of the subjects. Likewise, after placebo treatment, plasma ferritin decreased (> or = 5 micrograms/L) in 24% and increased in 4% of the subjects, whereas iron supplementation resulted in decreases in 4% and increases in 68% of the subjects. In the absence of iron supplementation, hemoglobin levels decreased despite mean dietary iron intakes of 16.3 mg/day. These results show that moderate iron supplementation is effective in preventing decline in the iron status of female collegiate swimmers during a competitive season, but a higher dose of iron may be necessary to reverse their iron-deficient state.