When your body is lacking iron, your doctor will often advise you to eat foods rich in iron as well as to take an iron supplement. You don't need a prescription for iron supplements, and they are widely available in supermarkets and drug stores. There are different kinds of iron supplements available with different amounts iron, different iron salts and different dosage requirements. Therefore, you should take iron supplements only after consulting with your doctor.
Ferric and Ferrous Supplements
Iron supplements usually come in one of two forms: ferric or ferrous. Ferric iron supplements contain iron that has been bonded with three atoms or groups of atoms. Ferrous iron supplements contain iron that has been bonded with two atoms or groups of atoms. Because their structure is simpler, ferrous iron supplements are the easiest to absorb. Most supplements come in ferrous form.
All three main types of ferrous iron supplements -- ferrous fumarate, ferrous sulfate and ferrous glutamate -- come in 325 milligram tablets, but each kind has a different amount of iron that your body can actually use. This is called "elemental iron."
Elemental Iron
The most important factor in choosing an iron supplement is the amount of elemental iron in it. Check the packaging for information regarding the elemental iron content in each tablet or capsule. Depending on the severity of their anemia, most people will need to take about 60 to 200 milligrams of elemental iron a day. Ask your doctor to determine the right dosage for you.
Combination Iron Supplements
Some iron supplements have vitamins added to help with your body's absorption of the iron. You might see iron supplements with vitamin B12, folate and vitamin C added. Dr David R. Little is an assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine and an associate director at the division of research at Wright State University School of Medicine in Ohio. He advises anemia patients not to take these kinds of supplements. According to Little, these supplements can cost much more, and there is not enough evidence to show that they have more of an effect than regular iron supplements do.
Iron Injections
Some patients cannot properly absorb the iron from oral supplements through their digestive tract. If this happens, doctors will prescribe injections of iron instead. Other patients' anemia is so severe that their doctor will prescribe injections right off the bat.
Some side effects of iron injections include dizziness, nausea, headaches and aching joints and muscles. A drop in blood pressure is also possible. Iron injections should be administered by a trained professional at a hospital, clinic or doctor's office.
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