GI side effects from iron
 

I'm trying to take more iron, for various reasons, and have hit a problem. I'm taking 20mg iron in bisglycinate form, and if I take one capsule, I think I'm OK, but that's not really enough to deal with this sort of problem. Two capsules causes the most appalling flatulence, at a level which isn't acceptable. This is meant to be one of the better forms of iron! Is there any way of getting my iron levels up that won't do this? I'm vegan (eating plenty of leafy greens already) and in the UK, although I don't mind ordering something from iHerb or similar as long as it doesn't come to more than £15 (customs charges hit above that). What should I be looking at? Ferrous gluconate? A liquid form?

Also, should I be taking extra vitamin C, even though I get plenty of fresh fruit and veg already? I had my eye on a buffered 500mg one from Bio-Health. Will that make a difference to the iron levels I end up with?

If you have poor acid in the stomach, which many aging people do have, iron will not be absorbed well, and will pass thru into the colon causing problems and side effects.

Taking GERD medications to lower stomach acid will give the same result.

Most therapies with iron, suggest taking with Vit C or orange juice to increase the stomach acid temporarily so the iron can be absorbed correctly.

If you are post menopausal, you should not consume iron supplements without a doctors visit and blood tests to confirm you need it. Too much iron is a health risk.

If you know your stomach acid is low because of medications, then other minerals can be affected: calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, folate, B12 and some trace minerals too, like copper, chromium etc.

Hello MrsD, thanks for replying!

I'm 36 and have no particular reason to expect early menopause, although I have light periods.

I'm on omeprazole (proton pump inhibitor) and ranitidine (H2 blocker), so those will be reducing my stomach acid.

Reasons why I reckon I should be taking more iron:

* I'm vegan, so I'm getting less of it through my diet.
* I'm about 95% sure I have Restless Leg Syndrome, which is often linked with low iron.
* I get really, really cold. In August I was sitting indoors wearing three layers of winter clothing and my lips went blue. They're often white and have turned blue a few times since then.
* The corners of my mouth get cracked and sore.
* General fatigue issues, although since I have ME/CFS it's hard to tell with that one. Also I've always been pale.
* When doctors test my iron, they tend to mutter that it's just about OK (UK reference ranges, which in my experience are often a joke) but my iron stores are a bit low. Do they actually go on to do anything about that? Nope. This has been a feature for years. Of course, when I was Vitamin D deficient, the GP told me that my blood levels were now back to normal when they were at a level which I recently learned the NHS regards as "insufficient", so I don't have much faith in all of that.
* I tend to get breathless and dizzy
* Ridgy nails

Other supplements that I'm on:

* a good B complex, with folate and high-dose B12 taken separately
* D3 (in useful amounts)
* a multi-mineral complex
* extra magnesium
* Omega 3 oil
* lecithin
* home-made electrolyte drink (water, sodium, potassium), as advised by my doctor

I don't smoke or drink, and I eat a good wholefoods diet.

A few months ago, I accidentally changed from the tablet form of my multi-mineral to the capsule form, and only recently noticed that it doesn't have iron in it. The multi-mineral is tricky, as it tends to make me nauseous, especially if I take it before food rather than straight after.

I've just noticed another difference between the NOW multi-mineral capsules vs the tablets: the dose is four capsules rather than two tablets. I've been taking two. So I probably am a bit low on minerals.

I'm now on the Life Extension Trace Minerals complex plus separate magnesium (malate and glycinate) and calcium (citrate), so I'm not getting antacids from my minerals now. Starting digestive enzymes (Quest, which have a low dose of betaine hydrochloride in there too) has really, really helped. After finding the article showing that it's best to have ferritin levels of 75-100ng/l when you have Restless Leg Syndrome, where mine was at 21 (normal according to the NHS!), I have now been put on ferrous sulphate tablets. I'm working up to three a day, and so far am tolerating them fine. Honestly, I had almost every symptom of anaemia possible, and the doctors have always said my iron's a bit low, so I have no idea why it's taken this long.

Hang on. If calcium competes with iron and shouldn't be taken at the same time, and so does zinc, and I probably shouldn't take it with meals, unless I can't resolve GI side effects any other way, when am I meant to take the iron?! I take calcium citrate tablets twice a day (lunchtime and supper time), magnesium early morning (before breakfast) and bedtime, and the Trace Minerals supplement (the rest, including zinc) at bedtime.

When taking a lower dose of iron, I was taking it at bedtime and early morning. I'll probably be on three tablets a day. Move the trace minerals to supper time, take the iron at bedtime, early morning, and then either at breakfast, or take them at lunchtime and move the calcium to breakfast? Only then I'm taking the calcium with the trace minerals, and don't those compete?

Also what about phytates and such? I now make my own bread, I have a nifty little bread machine, and mostly it's sourdough, which supposedly breaks down the phytates. That's generally breakfast.