Description
Iron: A vital nutrient that plays an essential role in forming healthy red blood cells and transporting oxygen.
• Helps prevent a host of deficiency disorders including anemia
• Has been used to treat restless legs syndrome
• Vegetarian capsules
• Women tend to be deficient in iron because they tend to eat foods low in iron and lose iron through menstruation
What is Iron?
Iron is an essential mineral and an important component of proteins involved in oxygen transport and metabolism. Almost two-thirds of the iron in your body is found in hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to your body’s tissues. Smaller amounts of iron are found in myoglobin, a protein that helps supply oxygen to muscle, and in enzymes that assist biochemical reactions in cells. About 15 percent of your body’s iron is stored for future needs and mobilised when dietary intake is inadequate.
The remainder is in your body’s tissues as part of proteins that help your body function. Adult men and post-menopausal women lose very little iron except through bleeding. Women with heavy monthly periods can lose a significant amount of iron. Your body usually maintains normal iron status by controlling the amount of iron absorbed from food. Liver is by far the richest iron-containing food. Other good sources of iron-rich foods include organ meats, fish and poultry. Dried beans and vegetables are the best plant sources, followed by dried fruits, nuts, and whole grain breads and cereals. Fortification of cereals, flours and bread with iron has contributed significantly to daily dietary iron consumption.
Why take Iron?
Iron is necessary for the transport of oxygen through the body via red blood cells. It is also involved in the conversion of blood sugar to energy. It provides a crucial building block for the production of enzymes that are involved with making new cells, amino acids, hormones and neurotransmitters.
Other important activities requiring iron include liver detoxification, the metabolism of fatty acids, and the synthesis of carnitine and the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine. Iron is essential for the production of collagen and elastin, which provide structural integrity and elasticity for organs and tissues.
Who is likely to be deficient?
Vegetarians eat less iron than non-vegetarians, and the iron they eat is somewhat less absorbable. As a result, vegetarians are more likely to have reduced iron stores. However, iron deficiency is not usually caused by a lack of iron in the diet alone. An underlying cause, such as iron loss in menstrual blood, often exists.
Pregnant women, marathon runners, people who take aspirin, and those who have parasitic infections, hemorrhoids, ulcers, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, gastrointestinal cancers, or other conditions that cause blood loss or malabsorption are likely to become deficient.
Infants living in inner city areas may be at increased risk of iron-deficiency anemia and suffer more often from developmental delays as a result. Supplementation of infant formula with iron up to 18 months of age in inner city infants has been shown to prevent iron-deficiency anemia and to reduce the decline in mental development seen in such infants in some, but not all, studies.
Breath-holding spells are a common problem affecting about 27% of healthy children. These spells have been associated with iron-deficiency anemia, and several studies have reported improvement of breath-holding spells with iron supplementation.
Caution:
• If you are pregnant or lactating consult a health care practitioner before using Iron.
• Iron poisoning only occurs in cases of extreme overdose. For this reason, keep iron supplements out of reach of children. Accidental overdose of iron containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6.
• Excessive iron intake may cause nausea, vomiting, constipation and black stools.
Ingredients
Serving Size:
1 Vegetarian Capsule
Servings Per Container:
120
Amount Per Serving
• Iron (elemental) 18 mg
(from 90 mg Ferrous Bisglycinate) (Ferrochel™)
Other Ingredients:
Rice Flour, Hypromellose (cellulose capsule), Stearic Acid (vegetable source) and Silicon Dioxide.
Not manufactured with wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nut or sesame ingredients. Produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens.
Directions
Take 1 capsule daily with a meal.
Warning:
For adults only. Do not exceed recommended dosage unless directed by a physician. Consult physician if pregnant/nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition. Keep out of reach of children. Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6. Keep this product out of reach of children. In case of accidental overdose, call a doctor or poison control center immediately. Store in a cool, dry place after opening.