Iron Supplementation Recommendations

Iron Supplementation Recommendations

Forms of Iron
Carbonyl	1 gram = 1 gram elemental iron (100% iron)
Fumarate	1 gram = 330 mg elemental iron (33% iron)	325 mg tablet contains 108 mg elemental iron
Sulfate	1 gram = 200 mg elemental iron (20% iron)	325 mg tablet contains 65 mg elemental iron
Citrate	1 gram = 180 mg elemental iron (18% iron)
Gluconate	1 gram = 120 mg elemental iron (12% iron)	325 mg tablet contains 36 mg elemental iron
Counseling points
·         The max amount of elemental iron that can be absorbed orally is 25 mg/day ·         Oral iron may 6 to 8 weeks to resolve anemia and up to 6 months to replete iron stores ·         Side effects include stomach upset, constipation or diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and darkening stools ·         Consume iron two hours before, or four hours after, ingestion of antacids ·         Coffee, tea, dairy, food, calcium, zinc, manganese, or copper can decrease iron absorption ·         250 mg vitamin C (ascorbic acid) or a half-glass of orange juice helps to increase absorption of iron ·         Medications that decrease iron absorption: quinolones and tetracycline antibiotics, bisphonates, levodopa, levothyroxine, methyldopa, mycophenylate, penicillamine, chloramphenicol, histamine blockers, proton pump inhibitors ·         Ferrous iron is three times more absorbable than ferric iron
Iron in food
Non heme iron – plants, iron fortified foods Heme iron – meat, seafood, poultry

Iron: MedlinePlus Supplements (U.S National Library of Medicine)

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/912.html

Iron (Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: — Health Professional Fact Sheet)

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-HealthProfessional/

The Importance of Iron and Use of Iron Supplements (The Importance of Iron and Use of Iron Supplements)

http://www.pharmacytimes.com/publications/issue/2013/June2013/R587_IronSupplement