IRON and Iron absorption

Su_ziq wrote: »

So I am horrible about getting Iron in my diet. I have always been anemic and bruise easily. I am lucky to get 50% of my DV on a good day. So I am trying to figure out the best way to work iron into my life.

I bought Black Strap Molasses - that has 20% DV. I want to get creative with using it. I googled and a lot of people like to use it to sweeten their coffee -- but caffeine BLOCKS iron absorption. I thought to replace my honey with it in my yogurt - but calcium BLOCKS iron absorption. I have taken daily vitamins, but they too have calcium which blocks absorption - I mean right? So how and when do I get my iron? Any ideas? And I drink coffee all day - pretty much from 8am to 6pm.

I do believe that iron from non-plant (red meat) source is absorbed better and not blocked as easily by caffeine. However, then do I take the chance and start buying hormone, anti-biotic, arsenic ridden beef. (And I am not really in a position to spend the money it costs for grass-fed cattle).

Help me out - any ideas? or do I just need to figure out what I am going to sacrifice?

Thanks! And feel free to friend me or look at my diary.
Susan

I think your fears about beef are unfounded.

The risks of being deficient in iron outweigh the risks of eating beef. Also, beans, poultry, pork, dark leafy greens, dried fruits, seafood, iron-fortified cereals/breads - these will all increase your iron intake.

Also, vitamin C enhances your iron absorption, so try to get plenty of it in your diet as well.

Try to get as much iron/vitamin C in your diet as possible, and continue to take a women's daily multivitamin. It's not impossible to boost your iron intake, you just can't be too picky about what you eat.

I donate blood regularly and even though I get sufficient iron in my diet, I've found that I need to take supplements in order to keep my ferritin levels where they should be. I'm also a distance runner and that has an impact on haemoglobin results due to increased blood plasma volume.

I have experimented with using an all foods based approach to building my iron - I just can't get enough given my circumstances unless I stop donating blood, which I won't do.

Long story short, I still need additional iron; and to get it I eat well PLUS I take a supplement 30 minutes before heading to bed. I never eat that close to retiring for the night, nor drink coffee that late as a rule so there now no interactions or absorption issues due to coffee or dairy/calcium. Same time of day = easy to remember. I use a fairly high dose Polysaccharide-Iron Complex iron supplement recommended by my doctor and suffer no unpleasant side effects.

As long as I do this my iron levels are a-ok as tested every 56 days and once annually for a physical.

Do you know you are anaemic because you've been told by your doctor as a result of testing or are you self diagnosing? I ask because easy bruising is can be a symptom of a clotting disorder, the cause of which may also have impacts on your iron levels. This should be looked at not guessed at on a forum.

Hi! Because of bariatric surgery I have known malabsorption issues and I will be on supplements for life. One of those supplements is iron. Some good news and some bad news.

Even achieving your daily value won't resolve the deficiency. You need to be taking therapeutic levels of iron over an extended time to resolve your deficiency.

For the average person, iron RDA (or DV) is between 8 mg to 13 mg. However for those who are deficient, 300 mg split over three doses in a day is recommended.

I think you need a pill.

"Iron is best absorbed when taken on an empty stomach with water or fruit juice (adults: full glass or 8 ounces; children: half glass or 4 ounces), about one hour before or 2 hours after meals"

http://www.rexall.ca/articles/view/1224/Palafer

To affect maximum absorption, you may have to limit your coffee at meal times, and take the iron at snack time.

Chex Mix.

Or plain Cheerios with honey and nuts on top.

PeachyPlum wrote: »

Chex Mix.

Or plain Cheerios with honey and nuts on top.

I think Honey Nut Cheerios, or is it the multi-grain ones, have more iron than regular cheerios...

This content has been removed.

I'm a vegetarian (anemic long before I went veg) and I take my vegan iron supplements with vitamin water. Vitamin C aids iron absorption.

If you can, avoid tannic acid (tea/coffee) with your iron supplementations. Other things to avoid- foods high in phytates (grains/legumes), calcium, and proteins found in soybeans may also reduce non-heme iron absorption. Foods high in fiber can also interfere with non-heme iron absorption.

@vinegar_husbands , read @Su_ziq again. You two are in agreement. Su_ziq recognizes the superiority of the meat source, but is nervous about all the other things the red meat might have. Like arsenic.

Su_ziq wrote: »

So I am horrible about getting Iron in my diet. I have always been anemic and bruise easily. I am lucky to get 50% of my DV on a good day. So I am trying to figure out the best way to work iron into my life.

I bought Black Strap Molasses - that has 20% DV. I want to get creative with using it. I googled and a lot of people like to use it to sweeten their coffee -- but caffeine BLOCKS iron absorption. I thought to replace my honey with it in my yogurt - but calcium BLOCKS iron absorption. I have taken daily vitamins, but they too have calcium which blocks absorption - I mean right? So how and when do I get my iron? Any ideas? And I drink coffee all day - pretty much from 8am to 6pm.

I do believe that iron from non-plant (red meat) source is absorbed better and not blocked as easily by caffeine. However, then do I take the chance and start buying hormone, anti-biotic, arsenic ridden beef. (And I am not really in a position to spend the money it costs for grass-fed cattle).

Help me out - any ideas? or do I just need to figure out what I am going to sacrifice?

Thanks! And feel free to friend me or look at my diary.
Susan

If you're bruising and anemic like that, adding 20% DV to an already deficient diet just ISN'T GOING TO CUT IT. Visit your GP, get a blood test and you'll likely be prescribed an iron suppliment a day for months on end. What my doctor prescribed me is something like 350% of my daily iron. You can't just get 100% and expect to raise your iron. You'd just maintain it - just like eating at maintenance. You need an iron bulk!

My hemoglobin is on the lower end of ok but my ferritin is low. My doctor recommended using FeraMax150 once a day (this is a new technology that absorbs gradually, so having calcium isn't going to block it all the time). I ended up buying PolyRideFE, same thing but cheaper (350 mg polysaccharide iron complex or 150mg elemental iron). This is what was prescribed for ME so you do need to go get yourself a personalized recommendation from an MD.

And start eating iron rich foods. Beef isn't the only food that has it. A quick Google search shows that chicken livers and mussels are just a few high iron foods.

tomatoey wrote: »

MeganMoroz89 wrote: »

Before taking any kind of iron supplement please see a doctor and have both your iron and ferritin levels tested. Both tests are necessary. You can have a low amount of iron in the blood which can make you appear anemic while actually having high ferritin levels.

Doctors won't test if you don't ask.

Having high iron/ferritin is often worse than having too little.

Why won't they, is my question. Why won't doctors do their damned jobs. Why do patients have to second-guess them, almost all the time, for pretty much every issue and test. They're the ones who went to medical school.

Preach!

Arsenic riddled beef????? I think you are putting too much emphasis on the woo about red meat.

Increase Vit C - it helps absorb non heme iron. Also, squash, liver, nuts and lentils are high in iron.

Has your doctor diagnosed you are anemic?

VeryKatie wrote: »

tomatoey wrote: »

MeganMoroz89 wrote: »

Before taking any kind of iron supplement please see a doctor and have both your iron and ferritin levels tested. Both tests are necessary. You can have a low amount of iron in the blood which can make you appear anemic while actually having high ferritin levels.

Doctors won't test if you don't ask.

Having high iron/ferritin is often worse than having too little.

Why won't they, is my question. Why won't doctors do their damned jobs. Why do patients have to second-guess them, almost all the time, for pretty much every issue and test. They're the ones who went to medical school.

They would test her if she described her symptoms, especially since iron deficiency is common in women. Doctors don't test for things if they have no reason to suspect it - which is commonly caused by the patient not telling them anything about it. Doctors aren't just going to run every test under the Sun on you for no reason. What a waste of resources and time that would be.

If iron deficiency is common in women, they have reason to take a second look at that or ask questions to pull the info they need out of patients.

Patients aren't experts in describing their symptoms, they may not know what needs to be prioritized and what doesn't. Something that they feel is important may not be diagnostic at all, but it interferes with their lives in some way, so it stands out to them. Or they don't notice things or may be confused by their experience, or have more than one condition, and focus on the wrong details. Also, not all of them have equally good language abilities. That doesn't mean they don't deserve care.

The doc needs to take a decent history and ask the right questions.

VeryKatie wrote: »

Su_ziq wrote: »

So I am horrible about getting Iron in my diet. I have always been anemic and bruise easily. I am lucky to get 50% of my DV on a good day. So I am trying to figure out the best way to work iron into my life.

I bought Black Strap Molasses - that has 20% DV. I want to get creative with using it. I googled and a lot of people like to use it to sweeten their coffee -- but caffeine BLOCKS iron absorption. I thought to replace my honey with it in my yogurt - but calcium BLOCKS iron absorption. I have taken daily vitamins, but they too have calcium which blocks absorption - I mean right? So how and when do I get my iron? Any ideas? And I drink coffee all day - pretty much from 8am to 6pm.

I do believe that iron from non-plant (red meat) source is absorbed better and not blocked as easily by caffeine. However, then do I take the chance and start buying hormone, anti-biotic, arsenic ridden beef. (And I am not really in a position to spend the money it costs for grass-fed cattle).

Help me out - any ideas? or do I just need to figure out what I am going to sacrifice?

Thanks! And feel free to friend me or look at my diary.
Susan

If you're bruising and anemic like that, adding 20% DV to an already deficient diet just ISN'T GOING TO CUT IT. Visit your GP, get a blood test and you'll likely be prescribed an iron suppliment a day for months on end. What my doctor prescribed me is something like 350% of my daily iron. You can't just get 100% and expect to raise your iron. You'd just maintain it - just like eating at maintenance. You need an iron bulk!

My hemoglobin is on the lower end of ok but my ferritin is low. My doctor recommended using FeraMax150 once a day (this is a new technology that absorbs gradually, so having calcium isn't going to block it all the time). I ended up buying PolyRideFE, same thing but cheaper (350 mg polysaccharide iron complex or 150mg elemental iron). This is what was prescribed for ME so you do need to go get yourself a personalized recommendation from an MD.

And start eating iron rich foods. Beef isn't the only food that has it. A quick Google search shows that chicken livers and mussels are just a few high iron foods.

This was exactly my 19-year old daughter's situation. Became anemic through very heavy periods. Doctor is dealing with that, and recommends the Feramax to boost her ferritin level. The difference in her is noticeable. I'm certain we couldn't have tackled this with diet alone.

mwyvr wrote: »

VeryKatie wrote: »

My hemoglobin is on the lower end of ok but my ferritin is low. My doctor recommended using FeraMax150 once a day (this is a new technology that absorbs gradually, so having calcium isn't going to block it all the time). I ended up buying PolyRideFE, same thing but cheaper (350 mg polysaccharide iron complex or 150mg elemental iron).

This is also common for regular blood donors, male and female, and to date I've taken FeraMax (in Canada Costco is about the cheapest). The Polysaccharide-Iron Complex (PIC) slow release mitigates some of the food/drink impact concerns and seems to reduce side effects. All the blood donors I know taking it report great results, no side effects.

Thanks @VeryKatie for mentioning PolyRideFE - I see this is available in Canada and it looks to be somewhat less expensive than FeraMax - for the same dose. I'll give it a try next.

No problem! But dang, why didn't I check Costco! I should have. And yes it's available in Canada (I'm also Canadian )

lishie_rebooted wrote: »

PeachyPlum wrote: »

Chex Mix.

Or plain Cheerios with honey and nuts on top.

I think Honey Nut Cheerios, or is it the multi-grain ones, have more iron than regular cheerios...

+1

UltimateRBF wrote: »

PeachyPlum wrote: »

Chex Mix.

Or plain Cheerios with honey and nuts on top.

Flinstones vitamins

+1


I agree wholeheartedly with both options.