Nutrition in Thalassemia: A Systematic Review of Deficiency, Relations to Morbidity, and Supplementation Recommendations

Reports of nutritional deficiencies in patients with thalassemia (Thal) are common. Despite its importance, however, nutritionally focused research in Thal has been limited by inadequate sample size, inconsistent methodology, a lack of control comparisons, and few interventional trials.

Due to these limitations, clinicians lack evidence-based nutrition recommendations to support clinical decision-making. This systematic review summarizes observed relationships between nutrition and morbidity in Thal published in the last 3 decades.