Iron supplements may just be safe for children with HIV, helping them develop their brain, new findings say.
The details are contained in a study published in Lancet HIV, which show that iron supplements can improve haemoglobin, the pigment cells need to carry oxygen in the body, and iron levels in children with HIV without increasing infection risks.
It suggests that controlled iron supplementation may be beneficial for this population without the feared adverse effects.
The research is based on data collected between May 2018 and November 2019, from 200 children with HIV and anaemia, all of whom had been on Anti-retro viral treatment (ART) for at least six months.
Participants were randomly assigned to receive either iron supplements or a placebo for three months. Results showed that children who received iron supplements had increased hemoglobin levels and improved iron markers compared to those in the placebo group, with no heightened risk of infections.
This study demonstrates iron’s potential to support neurodevelopmental health, the report says.
The study was led by Sarah Cusick, associate professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School and member of the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain.
“With the success and widespread availability of ART, children with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa are living longer, and optimising their brain development is a new public health imperative,” Cusick explained.
The findings may swat away fears initially reported that iron supplements placed children with HIV susceptible to infections due to concerns that extra iron might increase the risk of infections.
Iron is essential for various bodily functions, including oxygen transport and energy production, and it plays a crucial role in brain development.
However, it also provides a nutrient source for many pathogens, including bacteria. When iron levels increase, there is a risk that infectious microorganisms, such as bacteria, could proliferate more easily, potentially worsening infections.
In children with HIV, whose immune systems are poor, any intervention that could inadvertently increase infection risk is carefully considered.
The immune system in children with HIV is less effective at controlling infections, so there has been concern that providing additional iron might inadvertently fuel pathogens, resulting in increased susceptibility to conditions such as bacterial infections, sepsis, and malaria.
Studies in other populations, particularly in malaria-endemic regions, had showed iron supplementation was linked to higher rates of infections.
Cusick said additional long-term studies are necessary to thoroughly evaluate iron’s impact on brain development and infection risk over extended periods.
This research was supported by funding from Minnesota Masonic Charities, the University of Minnesota Medical School’s Department of Pediatrics, the Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute, and the National Institutes of Health.
