Different Iron Supplements

Iron is an essential mineral for your health. Inside your body, it can be found in the hemoglobin of red blood cells, as well as in the myoglobin of muscle cells. One of iron's primary functions is to transport oxygen to your cells and carbon dioxide away from your cells. Iron found in food sources such as red meat, chicken, fish, pork and beans accounts for most of your daily intake. However, certain conditions, including pregnancy and those resulting in heavy blood loss, increase your demand for iron. There are a number of different iron supplements in various salt forms on the market.

Ferrous Sulfate

Ferrous sulfate is a salt form of iron. It contains 20 percent elemental iron. Doses of iron are based on actual elemental iron rather than the iron salt. For example, 325 mg of ferrous sulfate contains 65 mg of elemental iron. Feosol and Fer-in-Sol are brands of ferrous sulfate. They are used to treat or prevent iron deficiency. According to the "Drug Information Handbook," 300 mg of ferrous sulfate once a day is used to prevent deficiency in adults. Consult your doctor for the appropriate dose for iron deficiency.

Ferrous Gluconate

Ferrous gluconate is another salt form of iron. It contains 12 percent elemental iron. Fergon, a brand of ferrous gluconate, contains 240 mg of the iron salt, but 27 mg of it is elemental iron. To prevent iron deficiency, use 60 mg of elemental iron once a day. That's equivalent to approximately two ferrous gluconate tablets. Consult your doctor for an appropriate dose if you are iron deficient. He will determine the extent of the deficiency and will base your dose on that.

Ferrous Fumurate

Ferrous fumurate is also an iron salt. It contains 33 percent elemental iron and is used to prevent or treat iron deficiency. This form offers the most elemental iron for the dose. A 324-mg dose of ferrous fumurate contains 106 mg of elemental iron. Ferrous fumurate, as well as the other iron salts, should be taken on an empty stomach to improve its absorption. However, if you cannot tolerate it on an empty stomach, take it with food. You may experience stomach pain, constipation, nausea, diarrhea, dark stools or indigestion while taking ferrous fumurate or the other iron salts.