Iron rich diet and alternate dosing

Allergies, blood and immune system
1

Hi everyone,

I just wondered what iron rich foods everyone eats (aside from taking iron pills)?

I try to eat more red meat, beef and chicken liver and canned sardines.

I take iron bisglycinate pills as they dont seem to trouble me too much. I cant stomach ferrous sulphate or fumarate which is what doctors love prescribing! My doctor did mention there was research out there that suggests taking pills on alternate days could be better for absorption and has the upside of being able to tolerate side effects better, so I will try this with my iron bisglycinate. 

Below is one study to support the alternate does idea:

Taking iron supplements every other day instead of daily is associated with increased iron absorption in women with low iron levels, suggests a small study in Lancet Haematology.

Roughly 40 women with depleted iron stores (serum ferritin 25 µg/L or less) but not moderate or severe anemia were assigned to receive iron (60 mg FeSO4) either on consecutive days for 2 weeks or alternate days for 4 weeks. Two weeks after treatment, the alternate-day group had higher fractional iron absorption (22% vs. 16% in the consecutive-day group) and total iron absorption (175 vs. 131 mg).

Next, 20 women received either once-daily dosing (120 mg) or half a dose twice a day, and then crossed over to the other regimen. In this case, absorption levels didn't differ between regimens, leading the authors to say that dividing doses "in an attempt to increase iron absorption is unnecessary."

Commentators write that these results "are likely to lead to a more felicitous means of administering this widely used therapy."

2

To note, I am iron deficient but not anaemic.

My ferritin levels are 12, my hemoglobin is 25

3

Greens. Such as Roman lettuce spinach kale stuff like that. Certain cereals. Like frosted shredded mini whets. It has 90% of your daily intake and it's a good source of fiber.

4

Hi All,

To anyone who might find it helpful, I was iron deficient (but not anaemic). My ferritin levels were 2 in May 2018, it is now 40!

I did this by taking solgar's iron bisglycinate - alternate dosing and an iron rich diet

5

I was the same way in may. My ferritin was at 2. I just took an iron pill I'm at 43 now. Of course i ate things with iron in it. But my iron pill worked. I still take the iron pill i want to get my iron higher little bit more.