10/22/2026
Is alternate-day oral iron always the better regimen? The evidence does not support that shortcut.
A 2023 trial in iron-depleted young women found similar ferritin at equal cumulative doses, with fewer gastrointestinal effects on alternate days—but the alternate-day course lasted longer.
A smaller 14-day trial published in 2026 found greater improvement in some hematological measures with daily dosing, without significant between-group differences in iron-related parameters.
Read the population, regimen, endpoint and timeframe before turning a study into a prescribing rule. Individualize around clinical need and tolerability.
Sources:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38021373/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41354563/
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