Introduction: Iron deficiency anaemia is the most commonly encountered form of anaemia in females. This form of anaemia is associated with geophagia which is defined as consumption of soil. The reasons for the association are supplementation of mineral deficiency and geophagia is seen as a symptom of the anaemia. However, it is hypothesized that soil interferes with iron absorption. The first line of therapy in iron deficiency anemia is oral iron, therefore if iron interferes with absorption it could interfere with oral iron therapy leading to patients being burdened with symptoms while treatment is not effective. The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of oral iron therapy in iron deficiency anaemia.

Methodology: In this prospective randomized intervention study, 80 geophagic women with iron deficiency anaemia were divided into two groups. One group continued with soil absorption while the other stopped consumption. Oral iron therapy was administered for 10 weeks, red cell, and iron study parameters were evaluated at different time intervals to ascertain the effect of therapy.

Results and Discussion: The group that stopped consumption showed statistically significant but clinically insignificant changes in haemoglobin (9.4 to 10.0 g/dL, p 0,029), red cell indices, serum ferritin, transferrin saturation (4.8 to 6.9%, p <0,001) and total iron binding capacity. Contrary to the group that continued with consumption where the statistical changes were only observed for the iron study parameters (transferrin saturation: 4.3 to 6.9%, p 0,011). These results were contrary to other disciplines’ findings where oral iron therapy corrected the anaemia and deficiency.
Conclusion: Oral iron therapy did not correct the anaemia in geophagic females because soil affected the gastrointestinal lining and soil directly interfered with oral iron therapy absorption.