Iron deficiency and cardiovascular disease: an updated review of the evidence

Area of Science:

• Biomedical science
• Epidemiology
• Cardiovascular research

Background:

• Emerging evidence suggests a link between body iron status and cardiovascular disease (CVD) development.
• Biologically plausible mechanisms support this association, but epidemiological findings remain conflicting.
• Inconsistencies may stem from variations in study design, iron status assessment, outcome definitions, and confounder adjustments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review existing research on the relationship between iron status and CVD risk.
• To synthesize findings from cross-sectional, longitudinal, and intervention studies.
• To clarify the evidence regarding iron status and its impact on cardiovascular health.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of published studies.
• Inclusion of cross-sectional, longitudinal, and intervention study designs.
• Evaluation of various iron status measures and CVD risk outcomes.

Main Results:

• Iron status within the reference range appears to have a neutral effect on CVD risk.
• Both extreme iron deficiency and iron overload are associated with a modest increase in CVD risk.
• Distinct proposed mechanisms may underlie the increased risk in deficiency versus overload states.

Conclusions:

• The relationship between iron status and CVD risk is complex and depends on the level of iron.
• Normal iron levels do not appear to elevate cardiovascular risk.
• Both iron deficiency and iron overload represent potential risk factors for cardiovascular disease.