SUPPLEMENTS

Supplements

Until 1999, in the United States, the vast majority of iron supplements were made with ferrous iron salts. That is, a positively charged iron and its counter ion (negatively charged counterpart). Popular and common counter ions are sulfate, gluconate and fumarate. Fumarate and Gluconate are carbon containing carboxylic acids.

Typically, the way these compounds are made is that pure iron, usually as iron filings which are dissolved in sulfuric or hydrochloric acid. Once dissolved, the counter ion is added and the pH is slowly adjusted back to neutrality. As this happens the iron is no longer soluble so it binds to the counter-ion and drops out of solution. The slurry is then dehydrated and the remaining dry matter is the iron salt.

The manufacture of these products gives an important clue as to how they work in the body. Once ingested, it is imperative that the stomach contains acid to dissolve the iron salt. If a person is taking antacids or H2 blockers such as cimetidine (Tagamet), their stomach will be “achlorhydric” – no acid in the stomach and the iron salt will not dissolve. As such the person will derive no benefit from the iron supplement.

There are a few specialty pharmacies around the country that make special iron tonics or capsules. The tonics are made as solutions that keep the iron soluble. This is done so that people won’t have to worry about whether the pills dissolve in their stomachs – it’s already in solution. These present some danger however because if the whole bottle is consumed by a child, a very real risk of overdose exists. Because the manufacturers know this, they generally make them with very low iron concentrations.

Other pharmacies add things like “intrinsic factor” or liver extract. Liver extract contain ferritin as well as some heme iron. The amount of iron in these preparations bound to heme is generally less than 1/2 milligram.

Intrinsic Factor (IF) was so named because of its essential role in helping vitamin B12 perform in its role to produce red blood cells. IF is present in gastric juice and performs its duty by binding to B12. Once bound, IF changes and becomes less susceptible to digestion and thereby protects B12 and allows for its absorption from gastric juice.

Most of us can get sufficient amounts of iron from daily diets that include a moderate amount of meat, because meat contains heme, which is easily absorbed by the body. However, some people need supplemental iron. Finding the right type and dose is an individual decision made between the patient and the physician.

Iron pills should be taken 2 hours before or after other medications. Iron can inhibit the effectiveness of thyroid medications, antibiotics and some antidepressant drugs. Foods and substances that can interfere with the absorption of iron include calcium, tannins, which are found in coffee, tea, grapes, red wine, purple or red rice, and bran fiber or chocolate. Iron supplementation is best taken two hours after consuming these substances. 

Also, oral iron might be improved by taking a small amount of supplemental zinc. In one Japanese study, Dr. Soruku Nishiyama,of Kumamota University School of Medicine demonstrated that “…supplementing with both minerals (zinc and iron) is more effective than either alone…and that some prenatal anemia is due to a deficiency of zinc, not iron.”