Iron Absorption and Variations of Iron Status, Hepcidin, Inflammation and Sex Hormones During the Menstrual Cycle

Exclusion Criteria

• •Use of hormonal contraceptives within a 3-month recall period
• •Anemia (hemoglobin \< 117 g/L)
• •Any known major metabolic, gastrointestinal, kidney or chronic disease such as diabetes, renal failure, hepatic dysfunction, hepatitis, hypertension, cancer, or cardiovascular diseases (according to the participants own statement)
• •Women with severe menstrual cramps that would prevent them from attending study meetings during menstruation (judged by the women)
• •Consumption of iron-containing supplements within 1 month prior to the start of study
• •Known difficulties with blood sampling
• •Pregnancy (serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) \< 5 mIU/mL)
• •Current smoking (\>1 cigarette per week over a 1-month recall period)
• •Women who are planning to get pregnant within the study period, as this would affect iron metabolism and subsequent study measurements.
• •Inability to follow the study protocol