Oral iron supplements and blood sugar response in overweight and obese women
Official title: The Effect of Oral Iron Supplements on Insulin and Glucose Metabolism in Overweight and Obese Women
Run by ETH Zurich · NCT07315282 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This trial will test whether 14 days of daily low-dose versus high-dose oral iron changes insulin and blood sugar responses in overweight or obese women with low iron stores.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 45 Years |
| Sex | Women only |
| Enrollment | 70 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | ETH Zurich Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Beirut) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | December 23, 2025 |
| Main results expected | June 30, 2026 |
| Study ends | June 30, 2026 |
| Registry record updated | January 2, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07315282 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are non-smoking overweight or obese women (BMI ≥ 27.5 kg/m2) with low iron stores (serum ferritin <30 µg/L), hemoglobin ≥11 g/dL, fasting glucose <5.6 mmol/L, and no recent high-dose iron or transfusion.
✕Probably not a fit
Women with normal or high ferritin, existing type 2 diabetes, active smoking, recent iron therapy or transfusion, medical disorders that affect iron metabolism, men, and people unable to attend the Beirut visits are unlikely to benefit from participating.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This is a randomized, double-blind metabolic intervention that will enroll 70 overweight or obese women with low ferritin and randomize them to 14 days of either low-dose (15 mg ferrous fumarate) or high-dose (195 mg ferrous sulfate) oral iron. Participants will have fasting blood draws and a standard oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) with samples at 0, 1, and 2 hours at baseline (Day 0), after supplementation (Day 14), and four days after stopping iron (Day 17). Key exclusions include existing type 2 diabetes, recent high-dose iron or transfusion, smoking, or medical disorders affecting iron metabolism. The trial compares short-term changes in glucose and insulin dynamics between the two dosing groups.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the results could clarify whether common iron supplements affect short-term glucose and insulin regulation and help guide iron therapy decisions for overweight women.
How similar studies have gone: Observational studies have linked higher iron stores to worse glucose metabolism and some trials of iron removal improved insulin sensitivity, but short-term randomized comparisons of oral iron doses in overweight women are limited.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * BMI ≥ 27.5 kg/m2 * serum ferritin \<30 μg/L * hemoglobin ≥ 11 g/dl * fasting blood glucose \< 5.6 mmol/L Exclusion Criteria: * intravenous or high dose oral iron in the preceding 2 months * medical disorders are known to affect iron absorption or metabolism, or T2DM * cigarette smoking * recent blood transfusion or major blood loss
Where it's running
-
American University of Beirut
Beirut, Lebanon Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Omar Obeid
- Email: oo01@aub.edu.lb
- Phone: +961 1 350 000
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.