How to Determine the Amount of Iron in an Iron Supplement

Eating iron-rich foods or taking a multivitamin with iron helps your body maintain adequate iron stores. But when your body's stores are low, it can lead to unusual tiredness, weakness, an inability to concentrate or chronic infections. To alleviate symptoms and rebuild your body's stores of iron, physicians will recommend taking iron supplements. The amount of "elemental iron," the form of iron the body uses, varies in each supplement. Knowing how to determine the exact amount is important.

Tips and Warnings

• The amount of iron absorbed decreases as the dose increases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends spacing daily iron supplement doses throughout the day to enhance overall absorption rates. Iron supplements should be taken with either 8 oz. of water or orange juice, according to both the National Anemia Action Council and the NIH. The NIH states that iron absorption is increased by the vitamin C in orange juice.
• Consult a physician before taking an iron supplement to determine if it is necessary. Iron overload is a serious condition in which excess iron is found in the blood and tissues.

Things You'll Need

• Iron supplement bottle
• Conversion chart

References

• National Anemia Action Council; A Patient's Guide to Oral Iron Supplements; November 14, 2008
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Iron and Iron Deficiency: December 3, 2008.