Iron
Iron (Fe)
Minerals. Modern nutrition.
Also called Ferrous sulfate, Ferrous fumarate, Ferrous bisglycinate, Heme iron
Pinyin: tiě
Spanish: Hierro
Deadly poisoning risk for childrenA mineral the body needs to make hemoglobin, the part of red blood cells that carries oxygen. Low iron causes tiredness and anemia.
Did you know? The body has no easy way to get rid of extra iron. It loses only small amounts through blood, skin cells and stool, so iron can build up over time in some people.
What it may help, and how strong the proof is
- Anemia & blood building. Iron is needed to make hemoglobin. Iron pills correct iron-deficiency anemia in people who are low, and many trials agree. Iron does not fix anemia caused by a lack of B12 or folate unless those are treated too.Strong proof
- Energy & tiredness. Some trials in women with low iron stores but no anemia found that iron pills eased tiredness. Results are mixed. Iron does not add energy in people with normal iron stores.Early proof
Parts of the body
Traditional use
Doctors in Europe gave iron medicines for chlorosis, or 'green sickness,' a pale weakness seen in young women, for centuries. Liver and dark leafy greens were common folk iron foods.
How it is classified
How people take it
Adults need 8 mg a day (men, and women over 50) or 18 mg a day (women ages 19 to 50). Pregnant women need 27 mg a day (RDA). The upper limit is 45 mg a day from food, fortified foods and pills. Take pills on an empty stomach if you can, or with food if they upset your stomach.
Food, tablet, capsule and syrup.
Where to get it
Good sources are clams and oysters (very rich), beef liver, lean red meat, dark-meat chicken, sardines and tuna, lentils and beans, fortified breakfast cereals (often the top US source), tofu, pumpkin seeds and quinoa. Plant iron is absorbed less well, and vitamin C helps it. Pills come as ferrous sulfate, fumarate, gluconate and bisglycinate, which is gentler on the stomach.
Be careful
Iron pills can cause constipation, nausea, dark stools and stomach upset. Iron is a leading cause of deadly poisoning in children under 6, so keep pills locked away. Iron overload is dangerous, so do not take iron without a blood test unless a doctor advises it.
Avoid if: hemochromatosis (iron overload); thalassemia; children under 6.
Mixing with other things
- Works well together
Its vitamin C helps the body absorb iron from plant foods.
- Works well together
Vitamin C greatly raises absorption of iron from plant foods, so taking them together helps.
- Works well together
Iron, B12 and folate are all needed to make healthy red blood cells.
- Works well together
Copper helps the body make use of iron for hemoglobin.
- Use caution
Calcium blocks iron absorption when taken at the same time. Take them at least two hours apart.
- Use cautionAntibiotics (doxycycline, Cipro and similar)
Iron binds quinolone and tetracycline antibiotics and lowers how much the body absorbs. Space the doses apart.
- Use cautionThyroid medicine (levothyroxine (Synthroid))
Iron lowers absorption of levothyroxine. Take them at least 4 hours apart.
- Use caution
Zinc and iron compete for absorption. Very high zinc doses can lower iron uptake.
- Use caution
Tea compounds can cut iron absorption. Keep tea an hour or more away from iron supplements or iron-rich meals.
- Worth knowing
Manganese and iron share absorption pathways, so very high doses of one may reduce the other.
Found in these formulas
Iron boost (Modern)
The honest take
Iron is essential, and deficiency is common, especially in women with heavy periods and in pregnancy. Iron pills are real medicine for proven deficiency. Iron for energy in people with normal blood levels is mostly hype, and iron taken without a test can build up dangerously.