Iron dosage.

[Jeryatric]

A question for Sue.

I’ve been taking 3 x 200 mg ferrous sulphate tabs every other day as you advised but I’m experiencing side effects that I could do without at the moment. I don’t want to reduce the overall dosage and I want to ask if 2 tabs taken once daily would be a reasonable and safe alternative.

Thanks.

[SueJohnson]

Try switching to 75 mg to 100 mg iron bisglycinate.

[WideBody]

Jeryatric,

You should know there are two schools of thought regarding oral iron supplementation. My doctor explained it to me this way:

Let's say you take 100mg of iron bisglycinate every other day. The body will absorb approximately 75% of the iron (these numbers are hypothetical). Therefore, you will acquire 75mg of iron every two days, averaging 37.5mg of iron per day.

Alternatively, if you take 100mg of iron every day and the body absorbs 50%, you will receive 50mg of iron per day.

When I started taking iron, I used Liquid Ferrous Sulfate, 325mg twice a day (morning and night). I experienced gastric side effects, so the doctor recommended taking 650mg once a day at night. Remember, excess iron can bind with the protein in the stomach and cause black tarry stools.

You may also want to try a different formulation of iron. While iron bisglycinate is a good choice with fewer gastrointestinal issues, it is not quite as effective as liquid ferrous sulfate. I say this based on years of experience.

Lastly, have you checked your Vitamin D levels? Low iron and low Vitamin D have been correlated. The body produces hepcidin in response to iron. Hepcidin blocks iron absorption, so low iron and high hepcidin levels can be problematic. Vitamin D blocks hepcidin and improves iron absorption. I found that it made a significant difference for me. It has been more challenging to raise my Vitamin D levels than my iron levels.

[Jeryatric in reply to WideBody]

Wide body - thanks for that information. Food for thought.

I do take a Vitamin D supplement through autumn/ winter but my levels have not been checked. Have tended to assume the the winter supplement + summer sun (??) would be sufficient. Will have words with my GP if possible.