Should a person with thalassemia trait avoid iron supplements, such as iron-fortified vitamins or Pushtikona?
Thalassemia and iron metabolism are closely linked. Iron deficiency and mild forms of thalassemia (e.g., thalassemia trait) are often confused. Both are associated with mild to moderate anaemia and microcytosis (small red cells). At the other end of the spectrum, severe forms of thalassemia frequently produce iron overload. Excess iron accumulates due to a combination of enhanced iron absorption, repeated blood transfusions or both. People with thalassemia trait (thalassemia minor) are not at greater risk of complications from iron in the diet than anyone else in the general population. In the absence of concomitant iron deficiency, iron supplementation will neither correct nor improve anaemia due to thalassemia. For people with both iron deficiency and thalassemia, iron replacement will lessen the severity of the anaemia until the iron deficiency is corrected. The blood count will then level off and no further improvement will occur.
