Get Informed: Iron

38

Patient Comments about
Iron

Active Ingredient(s)

Iron

What does it do?

Iron

This product is commonly used as a dietary supplement for the treatment of iron deficiency, and iron deficiency anemia. Iron is a particularly important element for blood cell production.

Last Text Update:
 2010-Mar-20 2:46 PM
Last Data Update:
 2010-Mar-19 9:03 PM

Other Names

  • Iron
  • Ferrous Sulfate
  • Iron Sulfate
  • Ferrous
  • Slow FE
  • Feosol
  • Ferrous Gluconate
  • Ferrous Sulphate
  • Iron Complex
  • Fergon
  • Ferrous Aminopropane Dicarboxylate
  • Iron Ascorbate
  • FER-IN-SOL
  • Hemocyte
  • Icar
  • Proferrin
  • Fersamal
  • Fersaday
  • Galfer
  • Feospan
  • Ferrograd

How Safe Is It?

Your Risk Rating
Please log in
Average Risk Rating
0: On hold
Pregnancy Category:
N/A
Black Box Warning:
No

Facts & Figures

Date Approved
25 Apr 1957
Est US Patients*
1,252,000
Generic Available
Yes
OTC Available
Yes

User Age Distribution*

9

< 21

14

21-39

34

40-59

43

60+

Age (Years)

* Estimated number of US people currently taking Iron or its active ingredient based on population adjusted patient numbers registered with iGuard.org.

Other Resources

Recent alerts for Iron

There have been no iGuard.org alerts regarding Iron during the past year.

Iron Safety Report

0: On hold

The iGuard risk rating for Iron is on hold. It means that we're waiting for more patients taking this medication to join iGuard before we can provide a more accurate safety assessment of this product.

Learn more about iGuard's risk ratings

  • Please login or register (it's free) so iGuard can check how Iron interacts with other drugs and diseases in your profile.

What is Iron used for?

iGuard is currently tracking more than 8,300 patients that use Iron (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)). Use the table below to learn why iGuard users take this product; click on any underlined condition to get information on other medications used for treatment.

Disease / Condition % Average Severity
Anemia 92% 5
Kidney Failure 3% 8
Other 6% 5

How well does Iron work?

iGuard regularly polls our more than 8,300 users taking Iron (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)) using the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medications (TSQM) . This feedback is continuously updated in tables below for the benefit of the iGuard community. To request scores for specific patient subgroups, please contact research@iguard.org.

Average Satisfaction Score

(out of 10)

Average Effectiveness Score

(out of 10)

70 67
77%
of patients are confident that the good things about Iron outweigh the bad things.
2%
of patients wish they were told more before they started taking Iron.

Common Side Effects of Iron

iGuard regularly polls our more than 8,300 users taking Iron (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)) to monitor the development and frequency of side-effects. This feedback is continuously updated in tables and graphs below for the benefit of the iGuard community.

28%

28% of patients experience side-effects on Iron

0%

< 1% of patients experience signifcant side-effects on Iron


Most Common Side Effects...

  • 25% Constipation
  • 5% Nausea/Vomiting
  • 5% Muscle Pain/Cramps
  • 5% Drowsiness
  • = 10%

Global Patient Feedback for Iron ( Post a comment )

Comments, Questions, and Answers
Show Newest | Oldest first

Question/Comment:

i was just told that my red blood cell count and iron levels were severely low. Ive been taking a multivitamin w/ iron but have been told to take extra iron.Doc did not tell me how much; even though I asked twice! Do I need Vit C w/ it and how much iron, pleeeze. I am also going thru menopause and have GAD,Barretts Esophagus,Diverticulitis,Osteoarthritis,Knees bone on bone and a twisted colon.Whew! Help! Is there one supplement that would help most of my problems? Im sick of taking pills. Are caps hard to digest?Whats the best, caps or tablets?

54 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States

Posted: 2009-10-15 10:36:36

iGuard Answer/Reply:

Instead of whether or not capsules or tablets are best, the type of iron salt used affects absorption more. The best absorbed type of iron is a ferrous salt. Look at the active ingredients on the supplement to find one that says ferrous for the type of iron. The typical iron dose is 300mg of ferrous sulfate, which delivers 50-60mg of elemental iron. If more than one dose is recommended, separating them into multiple doses each day will increase absorption also. Vitamin C can enhance the absorption of iron. Separate the dose from your multivitamin and avoid taking it with calcium or tea. The CDC has recommended guidelines for supplementations, but it is up to the individual physician to prescribe the dose of iron supplementation needed for each patient. Ask your physician again exactly how much iron supplement he or she recommends you take. Keep asking until you get an answer.

Posted: 2009-11-07 01:46:39

Question/Comment:

I have been on this medication for a long time, along with my throid med, I need to know if anyone, has noticed a problem in there levels because I see a Nurse Pract, not a regular Doctor, I am thinking of moving to a diffrent one. But, I need input first.

Thank you
Rob

43 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States

Posted: 2009-07-15 14:31:54

Answer/Reply:

I have read that you shouldn't take thyroid medications and iron same time. If I was you, take one in the morning and the other at night. There are some iron pills with vitamin C included. Shaklee had this years ago, and I assume they still do. I have a history of most iron pills affecting my stomach and this one agreed with me the best.

41 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States

Posted: 2010-01-22 00:27:26

Question/Comment:

I take my levothyroxine 50mcg in the morning whenever I wake up usually around 630 or 7am then around 1pm I take my prenatal vitamin and an iron supplement.

34 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States

Posted: 2009-03-23 12:02:00

Question/Comment:

I am anemic. I went to a health food store and they suggested that I take Ferrofood Dietary supplement. it has 30 mg of vitamin c --- 1.7mcg of vitamin b12 --

and 10 mg of iron which to translates to 60% of the daily value of iron.

has anyone tried or heard of this supplement and is it safe?

Or should i take citrate

36 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States

Posted: 2009-03-18 19:19:52

Answer/Reply:

I am a 74 yr. old male who has been as low as a ''5'' count on the hemo level, & low in other areas as well, during the last 12 yrs. The first 2 times I had to give my self shots of Procrit, which worked at the time, but didn't seem to last.

The 3rd time I was given 8 bags of liquid iron over 3 mo. I also continued to use Ferrous Sulfate & Ferro-food, as well, as a supplement.

But, the KEY is to take a ''good'' Vit-C with the supplements which enables to iron to adhere to the system. (or ''o.j.'' or a real orange)
Both my 'hemo' Dr., & my daughter from whom I get the Ferro-food said the same thing.

I hope it helps.

76 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States

Posted: 2009-04-18 16:25:21

Question/Comment:

yes it is a fact that caffeine blocks the absorption of iron as well as milk. So it is always a good practice to give a 2hour break between iron and caffeine(tea, coffee, coke)/milk intake. Also, try not to drink caffeinated beverages with food or immediately after consuming food as it will also block the absorption of iron from the food. A good way to enhance your iron absorption is to take it with foods/drinks rich in vitamin C, for instance orange juice. Vitamin C helps in the absorption of iron.

29 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States

Posted: 2009-02-23 14:07:10

Answer/Reply:

Thanks for the reminder re 2 hr. abstention from 'caffiene' when taking iron supplements.
My habit is to 'hit' on the Advair 1st thing in the AM, (ALWAYS rinse throat immediately after Advair) then have a cup of coffee. Then a 2nd cup along with breakfast & juice + iron.
I am a 74 yr. old male, and still 'learning'. (never to old to learn -- even from the young ones.)

76 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States

Posted: 2009-03-03 12:38:21

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