Iron Supplements…What you need to Know

Iron is an essential mineral in the body, without iron our bodies would not transport oxygen correctly, or store it in our muscles. One would think that iron deficiency would be unheard of because iron is one of the most abundant elements on earth. However, iron deficiency is also the most abundant deficiency we face, not just as a nation, race, or culture, but as a whole…all over the world. Although, women and children are more likely to have an iron deficiency than men. There are many causes of an iron deficiency that range from diet, to medical problems. What you need to know is which iron supplements are best for you to take.

There are different types of iron supplements, and in order to get the correct kind you must know the difference between them. The generic name for many iron supplements is ferric or ferrous. While both of these are great iron supplements there are fundamental differences between them. To make an extremely complicated issue simple, ferrous supplements are more readily absorbed by the body, but there are different types of ferrous supplements, so you need to pay attention to which type you get. For instance ferrous sulfate, ferrous gluconate, and ferrous fumarate; the difference between these is the amount of iron they actually contain.

There is a reason why iron supplements have higher and lower amounts of the actual mineral in them. The reason is that iron can be upsetting to the stomach, and the lower amounts are more easily tolerated. Some other common side effects one might notice while taking an iron supplement are black stools, this is completely normal and should not worry you. However, you may want to take a stool softener with the supplement if you experience constipation, yet another common side effect. If you are taking the liquid form of iron you may want to take it through a straw because it can discolor teeth.

Finally, if you are taking iron but can’t seem to raise your levels, the problem may be absorption. Iron can be very picky about what is taken with it, or around it, so be sure to space other drugs out accordingly. Your doctor or pharmacist should alert you to these interactions, however, often times this bit of information fails to get relayed to the patient. Some drugs or supplements that can disrupt the absorption of iron are antacids, and high amounts of vitamin E, or Zinc. Likewise some items that increase the absorption of iron are copper and vitamins A, B (complex), and C.

If you are taking one form of iron and it doesn’t seem to agree with you try another, there are several, too many to try one and give up. Remember iron is a critical mineral that is essential to life, and a deficiency will most definitely leave you feeling less than normal.

Non constipating iron supplement
A great, non constipating iron supplement is Advanced Ferrochel from Source Naturals