GSTM1 and anemia: In this animal model, maintenance on a diet low in iron over the course of 3 weeks resulted in increased platelet counts (P < 0.001), as well as diminished hemoglobin (Hb, P < 0.001) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV, P < 0.001) (Fig. 7A), which corresponds with the microcytic hypochromic anemia induced by ID in humans.