Assessment of iron status.

Abstract

Purpose of review: Iron is an essential trace element in human health that can be harmful at abnormal levels such as iron overload or deficiency. Measured iron status in the body can depend on health outcomes experienced by the individual and this can complicate its accurate assessment. This review will highlight recent research on iron assessment in the literature.

Recent findings: Research on iron assessment within the past 18 months included some common themes spanning new methods and biomarkers, as well as existing problems in assessing iron deficiency and overload. Heterogeneity in associations between inflammation and iron levels are reflected across different inflammatory biomarkers. New methods relevant to low- and high-resource settings may improve assessment in tissues with iron deficiency and overload. Consensus papers outlined best practices when using MRI to assess iron status. Outside of newer methods, traditional serum markers are the subject of a call for updated guidance when assessing iron status.

Summary: Research continues on the topic of iron assessment, underlying its complex metabolism in the body and resulting challenges in assessment. Current literature underscores progress to make iron assessment more accessible, improve existing methods, and update current assessment methods so they correspond with recent research to improve human health.