A Deep Dive Into Iron Supplements

by Paul White Dietician

Currently, the diet plan of the individuals is something that is not up to the mark. With the increase in eating junk food, our body is not supplied with the necessary amount of iron, nutrients, vitamins, and proteins. Hence, it becomes essential to add some multivitamins or liquid iron supplement to our daily diet.

How Are Liquid Iron Supplements Different From Capsules/Pills?

If you are one of those individuals who hate gulping down pills and tablets, then you can go for liquid iron or vitamin supplements. When you consume vitamin pills, close to 60% of the pills get processed in the liver before it goes to the bloodstream. Also, liquid immunity-boosting supplements make a huge difference. Hence, you must opt for liquid multivitamin supplements compared to their counterparts available in the market as the bloodstream quickly absorbs them.

Why do we need Iron?

Women, when they reach the age of 30, feel exhausted and can barely make upto the stairs without getting winded even though they are extremely fit. This might happen due to the deficiency of iron in them. Low iron is the most common form of nutritional deficiency that is found in women, and, surprisingly, most of us think that iron is not even a nutrient. According to the statistics, around 10% of women in the U.S are suffering from iron deficiency, and they aren’t even aware of it. Therefore, iron supplements for women in their daily diet is a must.

It is an essential mineral that helps in transporting oxygen throughout the body. Being a necessary part of hemoglobin, it helps the RBC to carry oxygen from the lungs to other parts of the body. One-third of the body’s iron comprises hemoglobin. If your body lacks iron, it won’t be able to make healthy oxygen-carrying red blood cells, which can lead to anemia.

Your body couldn’t get enough oxygen without healthy red blood cells. You are going to become fatigued if you don’t get sufficient oxygen. Extreme exhaustion may lead to disruption in the brain’s functioning and can also affect the immune system’s ability to fight against infections.

Women are in dire need of iron when they are pregnant, and if they have an iron deficiency, that may increase your baby’s risk of being premature or smaller than normal. Iron does have numerous other important functions, too, which are necessary to maintain healthy nails, skin, and hair.

How Much Iron Does Our Body Need to Function?

How much iron a body needs to maintain functioning properly depends on your gender, age, and overall health.

Toddlers and Infants: From ages 4 to 8, boys and girls both need 10 milligrams of iron daily.
Teenagers: From 9 to 13, they need 8 milligrams of iron daily.
Adolescence: From the starting of youth, the need for iron in women increases as they lose blood every month during their menstrual cycle. Therefore, from ages 19 to 50 that need to get 18mg of iron each day. On the other hand, men only need 8mg of it.
After the menstrual cycle ends, the need for iron in women drops. After menopause begins, the men and women need the same amount of iron, i.e., 8mg per day.

If you have any of the following, you might need more iron than a normal person:

You are breastfeeding or pregnant.
If you are undergoing dialysis or have kidney failure.
Have an ulcer.
Had weight loss surgery.
Involve in intense workout sessions.
Have gastrointestinal problems.

How will you come to know you are Iron deficient?

It happens many times that people aren’t even aware of the fact that they are anemic until they have severe symptoms. Some appear swollen, and others pale during the severe anemia stage.

Signs and symptoms of low iron are as follows:

Have cold hands and feet.
Shortness of breath.
Having a fast heartbeat.
Sores in the corner of my mouth.
Sore tongue.
Swelling in the body.

If you are dragging and tired, seek medical help immediately.

Do you need an iron supplement?

Sometimes eating a healthy diet with nutrition-rich items may not be enough to fulfill your iron needs. Then you might need supplements, especially for women. Iron supplements for women are essential at the ages of 19–50 to have enough iron during their menstrual cycle.

Need of Maintaining the Level of Iron in a Human Body

Maintaining an optimal level of iron in the blood is essential for every individual because its deficiency leads to several health issues, such as anemia. Iron helps in building healthy RBC i.e.red blood cells that bring O2 from your lungs to all other body parts. Insufficient amounts of RBC cause anemia. A person with iron deficiency or anemia would look pale and have several health issues like:

Chest Pains,
Faster Heart Beats,
Feel Light Headed,
Tired,
Weak, and
Depressed.

To avoid all these health issues, maintaining a healthy level of iron is essential for humans.

To know your iron status, you need to measure your hemoglobin level. It is a protein that is made up of oxygen & iron. If you are a woman, your HB should be 12, and if you are a man, it should be atleast 13.5. TSAT and ferritin tests are another way to measure iron content. However, they are a bit more expensive than the HB test.

The average TSAT level is at least 20 percent, while the average ferritin level is 100 ng/ml. Doctors recommend the monthly testing of iron levels until the average hemoglobin level is reached. When the target hemoglobin level is reached, testing every three months is recommended.

If you found your iron levels extensively low, it is recommended to consult a renowned physician before starting liquid iron supplements. Doctors consider several factors like your age, sex, etc., before prescribing the dosage of the supplements. Moreover, females are advised to take iron alternatives during pregnancy and periods as they lose loads of blood, which can cause iron deficiency. It prevents the risk of preterm birth and stillbirth as well as elevates the chances of normal delivery. Not just that, iron supplements keep you active and full of energy for the whole day so that you can do your routine task with ease.

Now let us discuss the top iron supplements.

Novaferrum
Novaferrum is the most reputable dietary supplements brand and best-selling liquid iron supplement too. This brand provides iron alternatives for individuals of every age. In addition, daily consumption of Novaferrum drops prevents you from anemia and other illnesses.
Nature Made
Nature Made Iron supplements come in capsule form and are very helpful in boosting iron levels. It consists of ferrous sulfate and is very easy to absorb.
Thorne Iron Bisglycinate
The other that comes in a row is Thorne Iron Bisglycinate. Each capsule contains 25 mg iron and is NSF certified. It means it does not have harmful ingredients and is entirely safe.
Floradix Iron+Herb
It is plant-based and an easy to absorb liquid iron alternative. Moreover, made from organic components, this supplement also contains vitamin C & B in addition to iron. Hence, it is best to restore iron levels and get rid of anemia.
Believe Iron Gummies
Believe iron gummies are also very effective in boosting iron status. These grape flavor gummies are delicious as well as healthy. Each gummy contains 10 milligrams of iron and is very easy to digest.

The Bottom Line -:
For proper overall growth and hormonal synthesis, maintaining adequate iron levels in the body is essential. Iron supplements are the ultimate game-changer for people suffering from anemia and iron deficiency.

Originally published at https://latestexplore.com on July 14, 2021.