Showing recent highlights
Guidelines
PubMed (Guideline Reviews) · July 7, 2026
According to the Spanish Society of Nephrology's Anemia Working Group, which has adapted the KDIGO 2026 anemia guidelines for use in Spain, people with chronic kidney disease (a long-term condition where the kidneys don't filter blood as well as they should) should be assessed and treated more proactively for iron deficiency and anemia — even before anemia becomes severe. These guidelines matter because anemia in kidney disease is very common and is strongly linked to serious heart problems like heart attacks or strokes, a lower quality of life, and higher risk of death. Treatment decisions — including whether to use iron infusions, other medications, or a combination — should be tailored to each person's situation, which is why it's especially important for patients to have an open conversation with their doctor about their kidney health and blood levels.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether the patient should be tested for iron deficiency and whether intravenous iron might help if the patient has anemia related to kidney disease.
What's New
PubMed · July 1, 2026
Researchers found that a protein called hepcidin — which controls how the body absorbs and uses iron — could help predict whether people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD, a condition that causes ongoing inflammation in the digestive tract) would respond well to iron treatment for anemia, a condition where the blood doesn't carry enough oxygen. Specifically, people with higher hepcidin levels in their blood were less likely to benefit from iron pills, suggesting that a simple blood test might one day help doctors choose between iron pills or an IV iron infusion for their patients. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · July 1, 2026
Researchers found that in people with iron deficiency anemia — a condition where the body doesn't have enough iron to make healthy red blood cells — a surprisingly common cause was a stomach infection called Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), showing up in about 27% of cases, while hemorrhoids (swollen blood vessels in the rectum that can bleed) were the most common finding in the lower digestive tract at around 10%. This matters because it suggests that when doctors look into why someone has iron deficiency anemia, non-cancerous digestive conditions may be responsible far more often than people might expect. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Lifestyle
ScienceDaily · May 27, 2026
A study found that drinking guava juice — particularly alongside iron supplements — helped women and teenage girls with anemia absorb iron more effectively, leading to noticeable improvements in hemoglobin (the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen). Guava juice appears to work well because guava contains very high amounts of vitamin C, which helps the body take in iron from food and supplements. This finding came from a review of 17 studies, suggesting the effect has been seen across multiple research efforts.
What's New
PubMed · May 25, 2026
Researchers found that roxadustat, a pill used to treat anemia (low red blood cell counts) in people with chronic kidney disease who are on a type of home dialysis called peritoneal dialysis, helped raise hemoglobin — the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen — and improved how the body handles iron. The drug also lowered hepcidin, a hormone that can block the body from using iron properly, without causing notable changes in cholesterol, blood fats, or blood pressure. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · May 8, 2026
Researchers found that people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD — a condition where the digestive tract becomes chronically inflamed, including conditions like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis) are at higher risk of developing anemia, meaning their blood doesn't carry enough oxygen to keep the body feeling well. Looking at data from over 111,000 patients, the study identified six key warning signs that made anemia more likely: older age, a history of smoking, having the disease in an active flare, high levels of a blood marker called C-reactive protein (a sign of inflammation), low albumin levels (a protein that shows how well the body is being nourished), and a more severe, tunneling form of Crohn's disease. Spotting these risk factors early could help doctors watch more closely for anemia in people with IBD before it gets bad enough to affect their quality of life. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed (Open Access Guidelines) · March 27, 2026
Researchers found that giving iron directly through an IV (into a vein) may help people who have both heart failure and kidney disease — specifically by lowering the chances of being hospitalized for heart failure or dying from heart-related causes. They also noticed a possible extra benefit for patients who had anemia (low red blood cell levels) alongside these conditions, though that finding was less certain. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed (Open Access Guidelines) · March 1, 2026
Researchers found that women who ate rice or wheat flour enriched with vitamins and minerals (a process called food fortification, where nutrients are added during manufacturing) had higher hemoglobin levels — a measure of the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells — compared to women who did not eat fortified foods, which suggests this approach may help reduce anemia, a condition where the blood doesn't carry enough oxygen to the body. The improvement was most consistent for fortified rice, where there was a very high likelihood the benefit was real, though the effect on reducing the overall number of women with anemia was less clear. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
For informational purposes only. Not medical advice. Always consult a physician before making any health decisions.