Anemia affects 30 percent of the world's population and as many as 80 percent are considered iron deficient, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. If you have been diagnosed with anemia, your physician may recommend an iron supplement. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests taking 50 to 60mg of elemental iron two to three times a day for a period of three months to treat anemia.
Ferrous Fumarate
Ferrous fumarate tablets contain 33 percent elemental iron, or 108mg of elemental iron in a 325mg tablet and is sold under the names Ferro-Sequels time-release tablets, Nephro-Fer, Ferretts and Repliva.
Ferrous Sulfate
Ferrous fumarate tablets contain 20 percent elemental iron, or 65mg of elemental iron in a 325mg tablet and is sold under the names Feosol with ferrous sulfate, FeroSul, Fer-In-Sol and Fer-Gen-Sol.
Ferrous Gluconate
Ferrous gluconate tablets contain 12 percent elemental iron, or 35mg of elemental iron for a 325mg tablet. It can be found under the brand names Fergon and Floradix.
Polysaccharide-Iron Complex
Iron polysaccharide contains 100 percent elemental iron and usually comes in 150mg tablet. Because polysaccharide-iron has the ability to stay in solution at different pH, it is better absorbed by people taking acid-lowering medications, such as proton pump inhibitors, H-2 receptor blockers and antacids. Iron polysacharide absorption is similar to ferrous iron supplements and is sold under the brand names Niferex, Niferex-150 and Ferrex 150.
Heme-Iron Polypeptide
Heme-iron polypeptide is extracted from porcine red blood cells. It contains 100 percent elemental iron and is more bioavailable than other iron salts such as ferrous fumarate, ferrous sulfate and ferrous gluconate. Heme-iron polypeptide can be found under the brand names Proferrin ES and Proferrin Forte.
Ferric Ammonium Citrate
This ferric salt contains 18 percent elemental iron and is less bio-available than ferrous salts such as ferrous fumarate, ferrous gluconate and ferrous sulfate. It is sold under the name Iron Citrate.
Ferrous Bisglycinate
Ferrous bisglycinate contains 20 percent elemental iron and is an iron-amino acid chelate with a relatively high absorption rate. It can be found under the names Bluebonnet Chelated Iron Albion and Amino Acid Chelate Ferrochel.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Iron Supplement
- National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements: Iron
- National Anemia Action Council: A Physician's Guide to Oral Iron Supplements
- Information Center for Sickle Cell and Thalassemic Disorders: Iron Deficiency
- Pharmacist's Letter/Prescriber's Letter: Comparison of Oral Iron Supplements
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