Daily iron supplementation for women of reproductive age appears to be an effective clinical and public health strategy for alleviating anaemia and iron deficiency, and for increasing haemoglobin and iron stores.
Daily supplementation also improves exercise performance (maximal and sub-maximal) in women.
There is evidence, moreover, that iron supplementation improves fatigue scores, particularly among women with baseline fatigue.
There are adverse effects, especially abdominal side effects above 30 mg elemental iron per day. Providing iron at lower doses (e.g. up to 30 mg elemental iron) for one to three months may have an optimal benefit and adverse effect profile.1