Would be grateful for recommendations for iron supplement for my daughter. She is vegan and her ferritin is on the low side. In fact her vitamins are all rubbish but I’ve got everything else covered. Something gentle would be preferred.
thanks in anticipation 🥰🥰
Iron Bisglycinate also known as gentle iron
Thank you
I’m not sure these are vegan!
Hi Joant24,
Not sure which brand of iron bisglycinate you're looking at? If you do an internet search you'll find many products suitable for vegans.
For example I've used Dr Vegan Gentle Iron and Vitamin C.
(Edited to add; just realised the Dr Vegan iron is ferrous fumarate)
I've also used Spatone natural iron liquid supplements but they don't have vitamin C added so I mix these with a ginger shot to aid absorbency (it also disguises the taste as I don't like it)
Any iron supplements I take in the morning, every other day, on an empty stomach avoiding tea or coffee an hour either side.
I would probably go with something like the Dr Vegan supplement as it's in capsule form and possibly easier for your daughter to take. It only has brown rice flour added as a filler not a huge list of excipients.
Hope you find something suitable for her that she'll take?
?? I think you are getting confused with heme iron.... drvegan.com/products/iron-v...
All iron supplement ingredients available here would be vegan it depends if they use a gelatine capsule?
Heme only seems to be available from USA, it is more effective as it is the form the body needs whereas the others need converting into haem
Your daughter may be vegan but her body is red blooded animal hence in this case animal product is more available to the body
Thank you.
As a vegan she needs to get iodine levels tested, especially if not taking a supplement aimed at vegans
Genova Diagnostics for iodine test
thyroiduk.org/help-and-supp...
Click on "Read the list of available tests" and on page 3 of the pdf you'll see
Urine Iodine Test:
Specimen requirements: Urine
Cost: £76
Order Code: END25
Turnaround time: 5 - 10 days
Iodine is an essential trace element, vital for healthy thyroid function. Adequate levels are required to enable the production of T3 and T4 thyroid hormones, whilst also being required in other areas of health.
Deficiencies can lead to impaired heat and energy production, mental function and slow metabolism. Urine iodine is one of the best measures of iodine status. This test is not performed as a loading test, but can be used to establish existing levels or to monitor iodine supplementation.
helvella - Iron Document
This is a summary of what I have read up and found out about iron supplements over the past few years. I am not in any way medically trained. You are strongly encouraged to check every detail before making any decisions for yourself.
Last updated 04/07/2024
Three Arrows!! It’s the only thing that’s worked for me. Exceedingly gentle.
Very much not vegan, though.
Apologies, yes.
I only realised in the last few years - and it’s so obvious, I should have guessed it well before then - that girls post puberty and women pre menopause need more iron in their diet every day than boys / men of the same age do.
Meanwhile it’s a staple truth of the average (meat eating / cooking) household in the U.K. that men get the larger portions of meat, when it’s a joint being carved, than women do.
How do girls who are vegetarians monitor their iron levels while at school? Does the NHs do this for them?
I took 3 arrows for over 3 months suffered stomach pain and blood results showed lowered hemoglobin, so did not work at all for me. Now taking nutriadvanced Ferrodyn iron bisglycinate.
What did it do for your iron levels? If only on it for 3 months your haemoglobin would still be recovering from the low levels or iron as red blood cells last something like 150 days before being recycled
My levels were lower than before I started taking it. Terrible stomach pains with it too. No real support from 3 arrows who said check for h pylori which my gp had done already. For me expensive waste of time.
Could it just have been the capsules you reacted too?
I mentioned that to 3 arrows who felt it wasn't due to the other ingredients. 3 arrows were not very helpful. Nutri advanced have been brilliant and offer a free nutritionist phone call (15 mins)
I don't suppose 3 arrows are used to having this issue as they supply a product that would be classed as body identical?
Yes, Except for the extra ingredients.
Gelatin capsule, Nu-Flow (made from rice hulls) and organic brown rice concentrate
I hope she is also taking B12 as deficiency can cause serious problems.
Thanks to everyone who has replied, really appreciate your time. Her ferritin in absolute rubbish, her other vitamins not as bad but not good. I take Vit D, B12 and folate and very pleased with outcomes so am confident with those recommendations but not so much with iron.
Better You sublingual Iron?
Hi, I am vegan too and have sent a message about the iron supplement I am taking and the one I have ready to take next, which is delivered by patch so would avoid the tummy trouble, to your other post. If you can't find it and would like to please message me and I will write it out again. The one I have been taking has made more difference to my ferritin levels than vegan ferrous fumarate prescribed by the GP.
One thing vegans don't understand is their need for amino acids. That's something she might want to look into.
Thanks I’ll mention it to her. X
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