Reduced iron is a dietary supplement ingredient that compensates for iron deficiency both at the tissue level and at the systemic level of hepatocytes and macrophages.

Iron deficiency can impair cognitive performance (1), pregnancy and lead to anaemia (2). At risk of iron deficiency are vegetarians and vegans due to the particular characteristics of their diet and the restriction to blood donation.

Food fortification is the best practice for strengthening the immune system. Reduced iron is used in the fortification of wheat flour using ferrous sulphate, but it is a generic term for an iron powder that can be obtained by different manufacturing methods: carbonyl process, a technique invented by Ludwig Mond in 1899, or reduction with hydrogen or by electrolytic deposition.

Reduced iron studies

References________________________________________________________________________

(1) Falkingham, M., Abdelhamid, A., Curtis, P., Fairweather-Tait, S., Dye, L., & Hooper, L. (2010). The effects of oral iron supplementation on cognition in older children and adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrition journal, 9(1), 1-16.

Abstract. Background. In observational studies anaemia and iron deficiency are associated with cognitive deficits, suggesting that iron supplementation may improve cognitive function. However, due to the potential for confounding by socio-economic status in observational studies, this needs to be verified in data from randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Aim. To assess whether iron supplementation improved cognitive domains: concentration, intelligence, memory, psychomotor skills and scholastic achievement. Methodology. Searches included MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO, Cochrane CENTRAL and bibliographies (to November 2008). Inclusion, data extraction and validity assessment were duplicated, and the meta-analysis used the standardised mean difference (SMD). Subgrouping, sensitivity analysis, assessment of publication bias and heterogeneity were employed. Results. Fourteen RCTs of children aged 6+, adolescents and women were included; no RCTs in men or older people were found. Iron supplementation improved attention and concentration irrespective of baseline iron status (SMD 0.59, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.90) without heterogeneity. In anaemic groups supplementation improved intelligence quotient (IQ) by 2.5 points (95% CI 1.24 to 3.76), but had no effect on non-anaemic participants, or on memory, psychomotor skills or scholastic achievement. However, the funnel plot suggested modest publication bias. The limited number of included studies were generally small, short and methodologically weak. Conclusions. There was some evidence that iron supplementation improved attention, concentration and IQ, but this requires confirmation with well-powered, blinded, independently funded RCTs of at least one year's duration in different age groups including children, adolescents, adults and older people, and across all levels of baseline iron status.

(2) Camaschella, C. (2015). Iron-deficiency anemia. New England journal of medicine, 372(19), 1832-1843

Abstract. Iron-deficiency anemia is the most common form of anemia in the world. This article reviews the global nature of the disease, iron homeostasis in normal and iron-deficient states, clinical findings, treatment, and causes of iron-resistant iron deficiency.