How Long Do Iron Supplements Take to Work?
As someone new to iron supplements, it can be challenging to gauge how long it will take them to work. It depends on several factors – for instance, how low your iron levels are and why.
Dependent upon what medications you are taking, iron absorption depends on if and how stomach acid reducers interfere with its absorption. Consuming orange juice or taking a vitamin C supplement with your iron tablets could be useful ways to enhance absorption.
Oral iron
Oral iron is an increasingly popular treatment option for iron deficiency. Taken orally in tablet or liquid form, oral iron may be prescribed to those suffering from deficiency due to anemia, inflammatory bowel disease, blood loss history, gastrointestinal infections or another condition. Pregnant women or those of childbearing age often take oral iron as it’s less expensive and safer than intravenous (IV) iron injection. Sometimes enough iron may even come from diet alone.
Most patients respond positively to iron supplements within weeks; however, full recovery may take several months. It is essential that people take the correct dose as excess iron may be toxic; always read and heed any advice provided by healthcare providers when taking these medicines from pharmacies and read labels carefully as too much iron could prove harmful to health. People should avoid dairy products, tea, coffee and antacids which decrease absorption when taking iron pills.
Iron supplements come in various forms, from tablets and film-coated extended release tablets to chewable pills, capsules, oral liquid drops and elixirs. Each form varies in its compound, dosage, cost and bioavailability of iron – the latter refers to how much of it actually gets absorbed by your body – with ferrous fumarate being the most frequently taken alongside food rich in vitamin C for maximum iron absorption.
Iron tablets may cause mild side effects that include stomach upset, nausea and constipation. Iron can sometimes also darken stools; this usually goes away as your body adjusts to it. Laxatives may help, so it’s wise to consult with your physician or pharmacist if any adverse reactions develop; they may prescribe different medicines or give tips on how best to deal with this situation; they might even suggest foods like kiwifruit, vegetables, brown bread and bran-based breakfast cereals as sources of relief.
Intravenous iron
Iron infusions may be appropriate when oral iron supplements fail to effectively treat IDA or for those who suffer from an underlying condition that prevents their absorption of iron. Treatment typically consists of intravenous injections administered by trained nurses – this procedure takes only hours and doesn’t require overnight hospitalisation; clinics, hemodialysis centers and hospitals all offer this service and it provides an easy and safe way of increasing iron levels in the body; patients can resume normal activities soon after receiving an infusion treatment.
Iron is essential for creating hemoglobin, the protein responsible for carrying oxygen throughout your body’s cells. A lack of iron can result in fatigue and breathlessness, with injections available such as ferric carboxymaltose (Injectafer) or iron sucrose depending on your health needs and being recommended by a healthcare provider.
Before receiving an iron infusion, it is vitally important that you discuss your medical history with your physician as certain medicines may interact with it. Furthermore, inform them about any allergies if you suffer from asthma or eczema; and any additional drugs, vitamins or supplements you are taking as these could increase the risk of severe allergic reactions from receiving iron infusion.
Before your iron infusion begins, a healthcare professional will insert a needle into a vein in either arm or hand and connect a long tube called a catheter to an IV bag containing iron solution. They’ll use pump or gravity to slowly inject this solution into your vein – you may feel slight pinches and some pressure near the insertion site but usually it is pain-free.
During an infusion, it is important that you remain seated and alert. After being administered the iron dose, healthcare professionals will remove the needle from your arm and close its vein before slowly releasing it over several hours. You may experience side effects after infusing, such as feeling of tingling or throbbing in your arm; these side effects are common and typically disappear within several hours.
Side effects of iron supplements
If your doctor prescribes iron supplements, they will suggest the appropriate dosage and type for you – this could involve pills, syrup, gel or liquid forms of administration each day. It is important to follow their advice closely because different iron preparations may cause different side effects – iron tablets can be tough on stomachs so try taking them without food or beverages in between; dairy, tea and coffee as well as antacids may reduce absorption rates further.
Iron supplements may cause other side effects, including bloating, constipation and diarrhoea that may be managed with other medications like stool softeners or bile acid sequestrants. Some patients may experience nausea or vomiting when taking iron supplements but these symptoms usually improve when dosages are reduced or the pills are taken with food.
Your doctor can provide detailed information regarding the side effects of iron supplements and how best to address them. If you experience severe reactions, speak with them about changing dosage or switching types. If you think that too much iron has entered your system, get them to run a blood test so they can check levels in your body.
Remember that your iron levels may be low and that taking iron pills for several months until your levels return to normal is the key to avoiding anemia from returning.
Drug stores and supermarkets carry many different varieties of oral iron supplements. These are available as tablets, capsules and liquids and contain several types of ferrous salts such as ferrous sulfate, fumarate and gluconate.
Some brands of iron tablets may be easier to digest than others, like Active Iron from Ireland – an award-winning Irish brand with a gentle yet effective formula that’s easy to swallow and suitable for people with sensitive stomachs. Whipple disease, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth or celiac disease patients will require extra precaution with their oral iron supplementation regimens.
Iron-deficiency anemia
Once iron deficiency anemia is identified, doctors typically advise eating foods rich in iron or taking iron supplements. A dosage will likely be prescribed and instructions given regarding when and how often the pills should be taken; as symptoms improve over time. It could take several months before your body’s iron stores have been replenished fully but any underlying cause must also be treated in order to prevent future episodes.
An individual with low iron needs a diet rich in iron-rich foods such as beans, red meats, fortified cereals and green leafy vegetables. Furthermore, drinking orange juice or taking vitamin C supplements may help better absorb iron into their bodies in the stomach; taking medications that reduce stomach acid (antacids, Prilosec or Nexium for example) could interfere with absorption, so their doctor must be informed.
Anemia can be caused by various factors, including blood loss from heavy menstrual periods or poor nutrition; pregnancy; bone marrow disorders affecting red blood cell production; or chronic medical problems affecting bone marrow or organs responsible for producing red blood cells (bone marrow). Pregnancy itself may cause anemia as the fetus demands more iron than healthy babies do during gestation. Bleeding from ulcers or polyps may also contribute.
Iron is essential to carrying oxygen throughout the body and can be found in red blood cells, hemoglobin and ferritin; severe anemia can result in serious cardiovascular problems including rapid or irregular heartbeat (tachycardia) and heart failure because the heart must work harder to provide blood to all parts of the body. Iron deficiency increases susceptibility to infection.
Doctors can diagnose anemia based on patient history and symptoms, such as fatigue and weakness. Blood tests can show the amount of iron present and number of red blood cells, such as complete blood count (CBC) which counts both red and white blood cells; peripheral blood smear; as well as results of these exams that indicate whether anemia is mild, moderate or severe.
