Your body needs iron to survive, and a well-balanced diet should provide all that you need. If your diet is low in foods that contain iron or you have a medical condition that interferes with its absorption, your physician may recommend taking supplements. Iron supplements can cause side effects such as stomach cramps, but adjusting the way you take iron may help decrease your symptoms.
Iron
Iron's primary role in the body is to help your blood carry oxygen. Iron also aids in your immune system function, cognitive development and temperature regulation. Iron can be found in two forms -- heme and nonheme. Heme sources are more readily absorbed by the body than nonheme sources. Liver, seafood, fish, lean meat, oysters and poultry are good food sources of heme iron, and cooked spinach, beans, eggs, nuts, fortified breads, cereals and flours provide you with nonheme iron. Eating a well-balanced diet with a variety of foods is the best way to meet your iron needs, according to Ohio State University. Teens and adults need between 8 and 18 mg of iron per day based on gender and age.
Iron Deficiency
If your level of iron gets too low, you may develop anemia and severe fatigue. In infants, iron deficiency can result in impaired motor and cognitive skills, and in pregnant women, not enough iron can lead to premature births. A diet that is low in iron, excessive use of antacids, bleeding disorders and intestinal or digestive diseases can all contribute to an iron deficiency, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An iron deficiency may cause symptoms such as weakness, fatigue, trouble concentrating, difficulty maintaining body temperature, frequent infections and glossitis, or an inflamed tongue. Your physician can run tests to determine if you are deficient and then suggest a treatment approach, which may include changes to diet and supplements.
Iron Supplement Side Effects
Iron supplements can cause many side effects, and the most common are stomach cramps and stomach discomfort, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Stomach cramps may or may not be accompanied by dark stools, constipation, nausea, diarrhea and heartburn. Everyone's sensitivity to iron supplements is different, so talk to your doctor if you experience stomach cramps. Iron comes in many forms, including ferrous sulfate, ferrous fumarate, ferrous succinate, ferrous gluconate, ferrous lactate, ferrous glutamate, ferric ammonium citrate and ferrous glycine, and you may have less stomach cramps by changing the type of supplement you are taking.
Solution
You can take steps to reduce the chances of stomach cramps, but these same steps may reduce how much iron your body absorbs. You and your physician can work together to make sure you are getting the right amount while reducing unwanted side effects. While iron is best absorbed on an empty stomach, taking iron with food may reduce stomach cramping. Medline Plus suggests looking for an iron supplement that contains polysaccharide-iron complex, is enteric coated or in controlled release form, because you may be better able to tolerate it. It may take some trial and error to find the right supplement that does not cause stomach cramping.
