Iron supplement question

knitterme
on 1/4/09 5:34 am - Bowling Green, OH
RNY on 11/04/08 with
Ok.  I just read on the main board that some people take Ferrous Fumarate Iron but my nut told me to take Ferrous Sulfate Iron due to the absorption issues.  Which is the correct one to take?

Dianne

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Psalm 139: 13
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blackburn.vicki
on 1/4/09 5:43 am
 Dianne

I've had really good luck with Vitalady's Tender Iron. I was anemic and started taking 12 a day with   a vit c.  I take it in the middle of the night when I get up to go to to the bathroom.

Vicki
knitterme
on 1/4/09 5:53 am - Bowling Green, OH
RNY on 11/04/08 with
So is it Ferrous Fumarate or Ferrous Sulfate ??

Dianne
 

                                                     263   / 245     [   173 ]    150
                                                  highest / DOS    [current]    
goal
Psalm 139: 13
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.?



blackburn.vicki
on 1/7/09 7:17 am
 neither it's carbonyl iron 25 mg per tablet.

Vicki
wendy_fou
on 1/9/09 11:31 am - AR
I don't even mess around with OTC iron.  I was offered the choice between Tandem and Repliva (2 Rx irons that are given to pregnant women a lot because they don't cause constipation).  I chose Tandem and my iron levels are wonderful. 
CANADIAN GASTRIC
CHICKY

on 1/11/09 1:26 pm - Canada
Hi Dianne

I have been severly anemic since surgery but it is slowly coming up.

The hematologist told me to take the ferrous fumerate - I have to take 600 mg at bedtime with vitamin c chewables for extra absorption.

When I was on ferrous sulfate it did not increase my iron count.

Don't know if you can get it in the states.... I am in Canada the brand name is Palafer and I take two capsules at bedtime- sometime mild constipation but no gastric or major issues.

Good luck
Deb


                                                           
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Jancy
on 1/14/09 1:34 am - Whittier, CA
HI,  I'm still pre-op, so my intake of supplements is different from your own.  Currently I take ferrous gluconate with Biotin and a Vitamin C chewable  twice a day.  Like yourself, the ferrous sulfate was useless for me.  This form of iron can be found in the health food provider, and there are some great sources on line.  You can ask the health food store to order this form for you. 
     Remember that anemia is not a disease in of itself, it is a symptom found in many other diseases that cause deficiency in the formulation or destruction of red blood cells, and too rapid of destruction leads to anemia.  Sometimes anemia is the first sign of arthritis or infection or other major life threatening illness, including cancer.  Be sure to get the cause of the anemia checked out and just don't cover the symptoms, because the cause will still be there! 
    Iron deficiency is a different story:  you can impact that thru diet changes. 
    And remember that supplements are not controlled like most prescription drugs, so quality is really an issue, purchase only from one that meets national supplemental standards. 
     There is a book called Nutritional Healing.  It's a reference for drug-free remedies using vitamins, minerals, herbs and food supplements for healing.  You can order it on line at Amazon, or at AbeBooks.com ( I like AbeBooks cause you can get books for a dollar plus shipping. )  It also has a detailed section on obesity. 
      All of the following information comes directly from the book, but you can purchase the book and get even more information about supplements and nutrition.  There were multiple pages to read, so here is a summary:

Food Sources: 
When looking at food sources of Iron is found in eggs, fish, liver, meat, poultry, green leafy vegetables, whole grains, enriched bread and cereals.  Other food sources are almonds, avocados, beets, blackstrap molasses, brewer's yeast, dates, dulse, kelp, kidney and Lima beans, lentils, millet, peaches, pears, dried prunes, pumpkins, raisins, rice and wheat bran, sesame seeds, soybeans, and watercress.  Herbs include alfalfa, burdock root, catnip, cayenne, chamomile, chickweed, chicory, dandelion, dong quai, eyebright, fennel seed, fenugeek, horsetail, kelp, lemongrass, licorice, milk thistle seed, mullein, nettle, oat straw, paprika, parsley, peppermint, plantain, raspberry leaf, rose hips, sarsaparilla, shephaerd's purse, uva ursi, and yellow dock.  

Discussion: 
     There must be enough hydrochloric acid present in the stomach in order for iron to be absorbed.  Copper, manganese, molybdenum, vit A, b complex, and vit C will increase absorption as much as 30 .  Taking calcium with meals can inhibit the absorption of iron.  If you are iron deficient, take calcium supplements at bedtime or at times when you are not consuming foods containing iron.  Excessive amounts of zinc and vit E can interfere with iron absorption.  Also, don't take iron if you have an active infection as bacteria requires iron for growth, the body "hides" the iron in the liver and other storage sites during these times.  So taking iron during times of infection encourages the proliferation of bacteria in the body.  And be aware that excessive iron can lead to other problems like the production of free radicals... high levels of iron have been associated with heart disease and cancer. 
     Don't take calcium, vit E, zinc, or antacids at the same time as iron supplements as they interfere with iron absorption.

Considerations: 
The best food to take are kidney beans, pinto beans, liver, blackstrap molasses (one tablespoon twice a day) rice bran, raw beet greens (not the beets) mustard greens, lentils, dried peaches and prune juice.  Eating fish at the same time as vegetables containing iron increases absorption, and omitting all sugar form the diet increases iron absorption as well (no mention about artificial sugar, but Stevia should be OK.)  There is some evidence that drinking milk should be avoided as in some people it causes mild gastric irritation and this interferes with iron absorption. If you are a vegetarian taking B12 is advised.
     And don't smoke.   
    
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