Objective: Inflammation plays a fundamental role in the healing process after a trauma. Recent data have suggested that interleukin-6 (IL-6) plays a key role in iron metabolism after stress response. Equipment and methods: To study the correlation between iron metabolism and inflammatory status in fifteen professional male athletes, a Sucrosomial® iron plus folic acid supplement was administered during the professional sport season and a prospective analysis of data was performed. Results: The healthy athletes who took the supplement did not show a significant increase in hemoglobin or iron parameters, compared to those who did not receive it. However, none of them started from deficit conditions. Interestingly, the athletes who received Sucrosomial® iron had a significant lower IL-6 levels throughout the season (4.22±3.7pg/ml vs 6.9±9.6pg/ml, P=0.04 and 6.3±3.1pg/ml vs 11.1±7.7pg/ml, P=0.04). This is the first demonstration that Sucrosomial® iron plus folic acid supplementation in professional athletes is able to induce IL-6 levels variation during the season, regardless of the values of hemoglobin and serum iron.
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