Research Documents

The Lucky Iron Fish® is an effective, safe, and natural way to add iron to your diet. Many people suffer from low levels of iron in their body (known as iron deficiency) at different times in their lives. Populations most at risk include: women and children; people with low levels of iron in their diet (e.g., vegetarians/ vegans and high-performance athletes). However, iron deficiency can affect anybody. Low levels of iron in the body cause tiredness and an inability to concentrate, headaches, and even fainting. Severe iron deficiency anemia can be extremely dangerous and cause stunting in children.

Clinical trials show that the Lucky Iron Fish is effective at improving iron stores in different groups of people across the world. These trials include: women of reproductive age; infants (aged 1-5 years); school-aged children; families; individual men, women, and children in the developed world; and women and men who are living with HIV.

The Lucky Iron Fish only works if you use the Fish regularly (at least 3 times a week) and follow the instructions to make sure enough iron is released into the food or drink that you are preparing. Used properly, the Fish does not cause side-effects because it is gentle on your digestive system. Clinical tests have also shown that the Lucky Iron Fish only alleviates iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia; it does not improve anemia caused by other conditions (e.g., Thalassemia). All batches of Fish are tested to ensure that the iron released from the Fish is consistent and safe and that no other compounds are released that might be deleterious to health. The Lucky Iron Fish is approved for sale in many countries around the world.

A complete list of published research surrounding the Lucky Iron Fish are listed below. These studies have been carried out by both the company and independent third-party researchers.  

Please see our listing of published research below. 

Research Summary Report

(2023) - Can Providing Daily Iron-Fortified Lunches to School-Going Children Living in an Impoverished Guatemalan Community Improve Iron Status? - Click Here

(2021) Impact of a Collaborative Childhood Anemia Intervention Program in Peru - Click Here

Testing the efficacy of the Lucky Iron Fish® in reversing iron deficiency anemia in rural, impoverished regions of Guatemala - Click Here

Dietary Factors Modulate Iron Uptake in Caco-2 Cells from an Iron Ingot Used as a Home Fortificant to Prevent Iron Deficiency - Click Here

Randomized controlled trial assessing the efficacy of a reusable fish-shaped iron ingot to increase hemoglobin concentration in anemic, rural Cambodian women - Click Here

Commercializing the Lucky Iron Fish™ Using Social Enterprise: A Novel Health Innovation for Iron Deficiency and Anemia in Cambodia and Beyond - Click Here

Iron release from the Lucky Iron Fish™: safety considerations - Click Here

A Randomized Control Trial Using a Fish-Shaped Iron Ingot for the Amelioration of Iron Deficiency Anemia in Rural Cambodian Women - Click Here

Happy Fish: A Novel Supplementation Technique to Prevent Iron Deficiency Anemia in Women in Rural Cambodia - Click Here 

Anemia in Cambodia: a cross-sectional study of anemia, socioeconomic status and other associated risk factors in rural women - Click Here

The Etiology, Treatment and Effective Prevention of Iron Deficiency and Iron Deficiency Anemia in Women and Young Children Worldwide: A Review - Click Here

Iron content of Cambodian foods when prepared in cooking pots containing an iron ingot - Click Here