The 7 best iron supplements to help with iron deficiency
Even if you are not keen on nutrition, you have probably heard about the importance of iron. In its most famous role, it is a key component of hemoglobin, a protein that allows red blood cells to carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. But that’s not all for that. Iron also plays a role in energy production, growth, brain development, cell function, and the synthesis of certain hormones.
Unfortunately, iron deficiency is relatively common. By some estimates, nearly a third of American women and children do not have enough iron in their bodies – men have lower iron requirements, so deficiencies are less common.
Chronically low iron levels lead to iron deficiency anemia. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), this can cause a number of signs and symptoms: pale skin, chapped lips, brittle nails, fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, irritability, headache, difficulty concentrating, etc. .
If you are worried about having iron deficiency, it is best to take a blood test to confirm or deny your suspicions. A doctor may test your hemoglobin level to look for iron deficiency anemia; for men, anything below 13 g / dL can be a sign of anemia (for women, it’s anything below 12 g / dL). whereas anything less than 10 mmol / L is low.
The only way to increase your iron levels is to consume this product. Adult men need 8 mg per day, while women need 18 mg per day (because they lose iron during menstruation). The best dietary sources of iron are fortified grains (which provide 100 percent of your daily intake), oysters, beef, beans, lentils, and spinach. That said, plant sources do contain non-heme iron, which is not as bioavailable (meaning your body does not absorb as much of it) as the heme iron found in animal sources.
Not sure if you are getting enough iron in your diet? An iron supplement might help. If you are on a vegan diet or donate blood often, you may need a supplement to meet your iron needs. The same is true if you are a pregnant woman or have a particularly heavy period.
Ashley Harpst, RD, sports dietitian and owner of Go For the Gold Nutrition, recommends talking with your doctor to determine exactly how much iron to take. She also cautions that there are potential side effects of supplementation, including constipation, diarrhea, nausea. , bloating and heartburn. To avoid them, it is best to take your supplement with food.
So if you are looking to supplement, what should you take? The National Institutes of Health recommend purchasing only products that have been tested by third-party labs like United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) or NSF International. Supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) like drugs are, so there is no guarantee that you are actually getting what is on the label, but third-party verification is good. insurance policy. Keep in mind that consuming more than 45 mg of iron per day can be harmful, so it is best to choose supplements that contain 30 mg or less.
To save you time browsing store shelves, we’ve researched the best choices to lower your risk of iron deficiency.
MegaFood Blood Builder is a vegan iron supplement with whole food ingredients that promote healthy red blood cell production. Verified by six third-party organizations, MegaFood boasts of providing 26 mg of iron per serving without the gastrointestinal side effects. And if you’re not a fan of the tablet size, they also have a mini version of the same product.
These caplets, which contain 28 mg of iron per serving, are Harpst’s first choice. “[This product] contains heme and non-heme iron, which improves absorption and minimizes gastrointestinal side effects, â€she says, adding that it can also be taken with or without food.
BeLive is a good option for kids or even adults who aren’t crazy about taking pills. Grape candies contain no artificial colors or flavors and contain 10 mg of iron per serving (2 candies). The supplements are vegan friendly, gluten free, FDA approved, and provide several other essential micronutrients.
If you are not interested in taking pills, Floradix is ​​a vegetarian liquid supplement containing 10 mg of iron and other B vitamins for healthy red blood cell growth. Because it is a liquid supplement, it can be easily absorbed and is gentle on the digestive tract. It contains a number of fruit juice concentrates for added flavor, and the brand also offers tablet options.
New Chapter Fermented Iron Complex is for those looking for an organic, non-GMO supplement. Although it contains a smaller amount of iron than the others, at 9 mg per serving, it also provides 30 mg of vitamin C.
NOW iron supplements are a vegan-friendly option providing 18 mg of highly absorbable iron per capsule. These supplements are verified by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) for safety standards. NOW also offers Dual Strength, Iron Complex and Liquid variants.
These Nature Made gummy vitamins provide 18 mg of iron and 40 mg of vitamin C (100% and 44% of your daily requirement, respectively). They are available at most drugstores and supermarkets, and they are verified by the United States Pharmacopeia (USP).
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and uploaded to this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and other similar content on piano.io