Supplements
ferritin decreases fibromyalgia severity
Part of: • Iron & ferritin
📅 Last reviewed: 2026-07-15 ⓘ
Evidence ladder
How far up the ladder this claim has climbed. A high consensus on a low rung means "consistent so far," not "proven in people."
Top evidence so far: Population patterns (Observational)
How the studies fall
What the evidence shows
Low serum ferritin is associated with greater fibromyalgia severity and neuropathic pain (within diagnosed FMS). Distinct from claim-low-ferritin-increases-fibromyalgia (which is about FMS risk/incidence) — this is a severity/gradient claim and must not be merged with it.
The evidence (6)
| Source | Grade | Stance | Quality | Finding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Telli H et al 2024 · Current medical research and opinion | observational | supports | moderate | 660 nociplastic-pain pts; chronic widespread pain w/ low hemoglobin/ferritin had higher VAS activity score; ferritin/CRP were HIGHER (not lower) specifically in chronic primary musculoskeletal pain subgroup |
| Bingol MK, Akturk S, Buyukavci R, Zontul S 2025 · J Coll Physicians Surg Pak | observational | supports | moderate | n=110 FMS: neuropathic-pain subgroup had lower ferritin (p<0.05); FIQ severity inversely correlated with ferritin (r=−0.256, p=0.007). Within-FMS severity gradient, not risk. |
| Kucuk A, Baykara RA, Tuzcu A, Omma A, Cure MC, Cure E, Acet GK, Dogan E 2021 · Rom J Intern Med | observational | supports | low | Micronutrient (ferritin) status examined against FMS severity. |
| Şirali SK et al 2024 · Nigerian journal of clinical practice | observational | contradicts | low | 170 HD patients; ferritin HIGHER (not lower) in those with lumbar/femoral osteoporosis (p<0.001/0.015); FM score negatively correlated with osteoporosis presence |
| Okan S, Caglıyan Turk A, Sıvgın H, Ozsoy F, Okan F 2019 · Croat Med J | observational | contradicts | moderate | Within 100 FMS patients, iron-deficient (<30 ng/mL) vs non-deficient: 'The groups did not differ in BMI, duration of diagnosis, FIQ, BDI, BAI, and PSQI scores, although iron deficiency group had significantly lower average age ( P = 0.047).' Authors: 'No associations were found between serum ferritin level and anxiety, depression, sleep quality, and physical functioning.' A null on FIQ severity for a directional 'worsens' claim — contradicts. The only positive signal is a subgroup correlation with depression score in poor sleepers (r = -0.277), which is not FMS severity. |
| Pervaz H, Rafique A, Khan HHI, Javed R, Arif S, Khaliq SS, Ghazanfar S, Ishfaq A 2026 · Cureus | observational | mixed | low | 241 FMS; ferritin lower in neuropathic-pain group (p=0.005); FIQR higher w/ neuropathic pain (52.7 vs 41.0, p<0.001); multivariable: FIQR (not ferritin) independent predictor of neuropathic pain |
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