ANEMIA AND IRON SUPPLEMENTS

Iron is a mineral that helps to transport oxygen throughout the body.  The oxygen-carrying proteins hemoglobin and myoglobin, found in the blood and muscles, respectively, are responsible for storing most of your body's iron.  Inadequate dietary intake or excessive loss from bleeding can cause iron-deficiency anemia, a condition in which the body is unable to absorb enough iron from marginal supplies.  Anemic red blood cells contain too little hemoglobin and therefore deliver too little oxygen to the cells.  Symptoms of anemia are fatigue, apathy, lowered resistance to infection, and decreased exercise tolerance. 

If your diet is well-balanced and you are healthy, you should not need an iron supplement.  If you have been diagnosed as anemic by your health care provider, he/she may recommend an iron supplement.  Do not take iron supplements without the advice of your provider.  Iron toxicity can be serious and can lead to other medical problems.  The two iron supplements found at your pharmacy are ferrous sulfate and ferrous gluconate.

  • Ferrous sulfate is more readily absorbed from the intestine but can cause some stomach upset and constipation. 
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  • If that happens, you may try ferrous gluconate, which is less irritating to the GI tract but not as readily absorbed.
  • Iron may turn your bowel movements black.  This unabsorbed iron is harmless.
  • If constipation is a problem, drink plenty of water and eat high-fiber foods (fresh    fruits and vegetables, especially with skin on, and whole grain breads/cereals).

    • On the back of this page is a chart that describes the best food sources of iron.  There are also steps you can take to increase your iron intake and help your body use this iron:

    • Cooking in iron skillets and pans adds small amounts of iron to food
    • Consuming tea, coffee, and other caffeine-containing products can decrease the amount of iron absorbed from foods eaten at the same meal.  Wait two hours after the meal before consuming caffeinated products.
    • To minimize the amount of iron lost from cooking, use as little water as possible, and save water after cooking meats and vegetables to use in soups and sauces.
    • Vitamin C increases the ability of your body to use iron.  At a meal, combine a food from the iron sources chart on the back of this page with a good source of Vitamin C for best iron value.  Some foods that contain vitamin C are:  oranges and grapefruit and their juices, lemonade, strawberries, cantaloupe, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green leafy vegetables, bell peppers, tomatoes, cabbage, potatoes, turnips, rutabagas, and sweet potatoes.

      • Your provider will let you know when you should return to the clinic for repeat blood work to monitor your anemia and your body's response to the above measures.

      SCHS/CN/1/02.

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Smith College Health Services // Northampton, Massachusetts 01063 // (413) 585-2800