Iron Supplements - Uses and Dosage

Iron supplements are oral tablets or capsules that provide a concentrated dose of iron. They are used to treat iron deficiency anemia and ensure an adequate intake of iron.
Category
Supplement
Where to get
Available over-the-counter at pharmacies and drugstores
Applicable for
Uses
Treats Iron Deficiency Anemia
Dosage
As prescribed by a healthcare provider
Prepared by Shruti Sahoo, reviewed by Dr. Eugene Smith

Iron Supplements FAQ


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What makes a good iron supplement?

Quality: The iron supplements are tested for quality and purity, ideally by a third-party organization. Iron type: The supplements contain easily absorbed forms of iron. Other nutrients: The supplements are free of nutrients that impair iron absorption and may contain nutrients that enhance absorption.

Does iron supplementation treat a disease?

No supplement is intended to treat, cure, or prevent a disease. Iron supplementation primarily works to restore low iron levels. Treating iron deficiency alleviates the symptoms you could experience with low iron and anemia. It also helps to prevent complications down the road as iron deficiency progresses to anemia.

How do iron supplements work?

Iron supplements allow you to get the iron your body needs with an easy-to-take, high dose tablet or liquid. Iron supplements have more iron than you find in a multivitamin, and your doctor can monitor the dose you take. If your body has difficulty absorbing iron from food, a supplement can help you get the dose you need of this essential nutrient.

Do you need iron supplements?

The most common condition that requires iron supplements is iron deficiency anemia. People with iron deficiency anemia do not have enough healthy blood cells to carry oxygen to the parts of the body that need it. This is because there is a shortage of iron in the blood.

Which supplemental iron supplements have fewer gastrointestinal side effects?

Other forms of supplemental iron, such as heme iron polypeptides, carbonyl iron, iron amino-acid chelates, and polysaccharide-iron complexes, might have fewer gastrointestinal side effects than ferrous or ferric salts [ 27 ]. The different forms of iron in supplements contain varying amounts of elemental iron.

Iron Supplements References

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