Iron is an essential mineral the body uses to make hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. Iron supplements are used to prevent or treat iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anemia.
Also known as: ferrous sulfate, ferrous bisglycinate, ferrous gluconate.
ODS lists a Recommended Dietary Allowance of 8 mg a day for men 19 and up and for women 51 and up, 18 mg for women 19 to 50, 27 mg in pregnancy and 9 mg while breastfeeding. The Tolerable Upper Intake Level for adults is 45 mg a day. Forms differ in elemental iron: ferrous fumarate is 33%, ferrous sulfate 20% and ferrous gluconate 12% by weight; the label lists elemental iron.
It is sold in the US as a dietary supplement. Under the 1994 dietary supplement law (DSHEA), FDA does not approve dietary supplements before they are marketed, and the maker, not FDA, is responsible for safety and labeling. FDA requires iron supplements in solid form to carry a warning that accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6.
ODS says high-dose iron can cause stomach upset, constipation, nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea, and that taking it with food can help. Iron lowers absorption of levothyroxine (some labels say not to take them within 4 hours of each other) and of levodopa; proton pump inhibitors can reduce iron absorption; and experts suggest taking calcium and iron supplements at different times. People with hereditary hemochromatosis absorb too much iron. ODS also notes that frequent blood donors are at higher risk of iron deficiency: about 25% to 35% of regular donors develop it. Iron status is checked with blood tests such as ferritin; whether you need iron is a question for your clinician.
We could not find a single published half-life or time to peak for iron that applies to a supplement dose, so we do not list one. The body controls iron absorption (through the hormone hepcidin) and stores it, so a single dose does not follow a simple curve.
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