Iron is found in every cell of the human body. One important function of iron involves binding to red blood cells so that they can carry oxygen. About 70 to 80 percent of iron is found in hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying molecule in red blood cells. The remaining is in myoglobin, which serves as an oxygen reservoir to the heart and skeletal muscle. Since iron deficiency anemia is the most common nutritional deficiency in the United States, knowing when and how to supplement with iron is critical.
Step 1
Get your doctor's diagnosis and guidance for taking an iron supplement. Mild anemia can occur from overload just as it can from iron deficiency. According to "Total Nutrition: The Only Guide You'll Ever Need," twice as many men suffer from congenital iron overload than those suffering from iron deficiency. Men taking iron on their own are twice as likely to be hurt rather than helped by it.
Step 2
Take three iron pills each day, each containing 60mg of iron. If abdominal discomfort or constipation occurs, the symptoms can be diminished by taking the pills with meals. Check with your doctor if you are taking vitamin C supplements, which increases the absorption of iron and can lead to toxicity and subsequent release of free radicals from iron.
Step 3
Eat to increase your iron absorption. According to "Total Nutrition: The Only Guide You'll Ever Need," only 10 percent of iron in the diet is absorbed. Iron found in animal products is more readily absorbed than the iron contained in vegetables. However, absorption of iron from vegetables is improved if the meal contains meat fish, wheat bran, soy or eggs.
Step 4
Read labels to check for added iron. Almost all processed flours, cereals, white bread, rolls and baking mixes are enriched with iron. However, many snack foods, frozen breakfast foods and some pasta and rice are not fortified with iron. Also, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements, "iron intake is negatively influenced by low nutrient density foods, which are high in calories but low in vitamins and minerals."
Step 5
Consult with your physician about any medications if you are considering iron supplementation. Certain medications interfere with the absorption of some types of iron by binding the metal or by removing the acid necessary for its absorption. The antibiotic tetracycline is a strong binder of vegetable-based iron, and antacids counteract gastric acids.
Tips and Warnings
- Women in their childbearing years require approximately twice as much iron as men to cover menstrual blood losses.
References
- "Total Nutrition: The Only Guide You'll Ever Need";Victor Herbert, Genell J. Subak-Sharpe; 1995
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Iron
Member Comments