As adults, men should get 8 mg of iron every day. Typically, men are able to get enough iron from their diet by consuming iron-rich foods, such as beef, poultry, green leafy vegetable and lentils. For this reason, men generally do not need to take a daily iron supplement. However, discuss the safety of iron supplements for men with your doctor if he recommends adding this nutritional treatment to your daily regimen.
Side Effects
Infrequent or difficult bowel movements, also called constipation, are the most common side effect of taking iron supplements. You may also experience stomach discomfort, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal cramping and loss of appetite. If your iron levels are significantly low due to blood loss, your doctor may administer an intravenous, or IV, injection of iron. Iron administered by IV may cause flulike side effects including body aches, fever, chills, dizziness, weakness or malaise. The skin surrounding the site of the injection may also appear red or inflamed and may be tender or sensitive to the touch. Consult your doctor if the side effects become bothersome or increase in severity.
Toxicity
The main way the human body loses iron is through the loss of blood. Unlike other nutrients, iron is not excreted from the body in your urine or stools. Consequently, men who take iron supplements may be at risk of developing iron toxicity. There are two forms of iron toxicity: acute and chronic. Acute iron toxicity occurs if you take a large dose of iron over a short period of time, such as a few minutes, hours or days. The symptoms of acute iron toxicity arise shortly after overdosing on this supplement and initially include vomiting, abdominal pain, seizures, drowsiness, bloody diarrhea and loss of consciousness. Left untreated, acute iron toxicity may be life-threatening and cause jaundice, liver failure, shock or coma.
If iron accumulates in your body over several weeks, months or years, you may be at risk of developing iron overload or chronic iron toxicity. The symptoms of chronic iron toxicity may be difficult to identify as they often resemble other health condition, including arthritis, diabetes and liver disease. Seek immediate care from your doctor if you are taking iron supplements and exhibit any symptoms of iron toxicity.
Drug Interactions
Iron supplementation may not be appropriate for you if you are taking certain medications. Do not take iron in conjunction with tetracyclines, bisphosphonates, ACE inhibitors or quinolones. Combining iron with such treatments may make it harder for your body to absorb these prescription medications. Iron supplements should also not be used in conjunction with levothyroxine, carbidopa or levodopa because it may reduce the effectiveness of these drugs.
Contraindications
Men who have a personal history of intestinal or stomach ulcers, or chronic intestinal inflammation caused by Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis should not use iron supplements. Iron supplementation may exacerbate the symptoms associated with your health condition. Additionally, do not use iron supplements if you have certain blood diseases, such as thalassemia, which negatively affect a component of your blood known as hemoglobin.
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