ABSTRACT
Globally, iron deficiency reigns as the most prevalent nutritional disorder, with anemia disproportionately impacting women of childbearing age. Despite the effectiveness of existing treatments, like iron supplements, their side effects remain a concern. This study explores the potential of grape syrup (GS), a functional iron-rich food, to modulate markers of iron-deficient anemia in women. A randomized, double-blind study explored the impact of GS on iron deficiency anemia markers in 130 women. Participants were allocated to intervention or placebo groups. For 4 weeks, the intervention group received a daily 50 mg ferrous sulfate tablet alongside 10 cc of GS thrice daily. The placebo group received a 50 mg ferrous sulfate tablet with a 10 cc placebo syrup thrice daily. Before and after the intervention, key markers like red blood cell count (RBC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), ferritin, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), and serum iron were assessed. Notably, both Hb and Hct levels were significantly higher in the GS group (p < .05). Additionally, RBC and MCV values showed significant improvement compared to the placebo group (p < .05). However, no significant difference was observed for other iron deficiency markers like serum iron, ferritin, and TIBC (p > .05). This study's findings suggest that combining grape syrup with iron tablets might offer potential advantages over iron tablets alone in managing iron deficiency anemia.