2.3. Study Product

Study participants were randomly assigned to receive either >Your< Iron Syrup or placebo. Both products were developed, manufactured, and supplied by PharmaLinea Ltd. (Ljubljana, Slovenia) under the ISO 22000 standard and tested by independent external accredited laboratories for the content of heavy metals, active ingredients, and microbiological integrity. Products were matched for appearance, smell, taste, and packaging and sets of bottles as well as their respective outer packaging were coded by a unique two-letter-one-number code. A unique syrup code was assigned to each study participant throughout the study. >Your< Iron Syrup contained 14 mg of elemental iron in the form of branded micronized, microencapsulated ferric iron (Qfer), 0.7 mg of vitamin B6, and 1.25 µg of vitamin B12 as active ingredients per 5 mL of the product. Placebo syrup did not contain any iron but was otherwise exactly matched in composition to >Your< Iron Syrup.