Iron deficiency
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When it comes to supplements, iron should only be part of your morning ritual if you have a deficiency, sometimes caused by blood thinners, chronic ulcers or post surgery. If you do need to boost your iron, you have two options.
One is known as Heme Iron. The other is elemental or non heme iron. That’s the one recommended most often by pharmacists. But it’s not necessarily the best choice. It isn’t as easily absorbed by the body.
Samir Patel is a Burlington Pharmacist: “Imagine taking a piece of metal, swallowing it, and having the body try to digest that. So for some people, to do a small amount, not a big deal, easily be able to absorb it. A lot of people have a lot of stomach upset, a lot of constipation, a lot of non-desirable side effects which leads to discontinuation of therapy. And then heme iron on the other hand is what we consider what is naturally found in the body. For example, hemoglobin, which is your red blood cells. This is what’s typically more absorbed because its naturally found in the body as opposed to the other iron.”
Though heme iron is easier on the body causing fewer side effects, it is a more costly option. If you’ve had a good history with the elemental version, experts say it’s wise to stay the course. Consulting your pharmacist is also recommended.
