IRON STATUS AND NONSPECIFIC SYMPTOMS OF FEMALE STUDENTS

Objective: To examine the relationship between iron status and non-spe cific symptoms among female students. Design: Cross-sectional study. S ubjects and Setting: Data were collected from 255 female students, age d 15 to 30 years, attending Curtin University of Technology, Perth or secondary schools in the Perth metropolitan area. Main Outcome Measure s: Frequency of non-specific symptoms, psychological distress based on the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), and iron status measured by s tandard hematological and biochemical tests including serum transferri n receptor. Results: Anemic subjects (hemoglobin < 12.0 g/dL) scored s ignificantly higher on the GHQ than nonanemic subjects (p<0.05). Using univariate analysis, iron deficiency (serum ferritin less than or equ al to 12 mu g/L) was not associated with non-specific symptoms or psyc hological distress. Among iron-deficient subjects, those using the ora l contraceptive pill reported significantly more symptoms (depression, irritability, difficulty concentrating) than non-users. Conclusion: T he evidence of an association between iron status and non-specific sym ptoms was weak with the exception of iron-deficient women using the or al contraceptive pill. Further studies are warranted to determine the role of the oral contraceptive pill in the etiology of depression and other symptoms among iron deficient women.