The most common treatment for anemia is oral iron supplements: tablets for adults, drops for children. Let's talk about what iron is best absorbed with.
Theoretical aspects
Mild to moderate anemia does not require hospitalization. In such cases, the question of how to take iron supplements so that the metal cation is better absorbed is decided by the attending physician. But he does not have the ability to control the patient's diet. Many iron-containing products interact with other drugs and food components, which reduces the effectiveness of the course of treatment.
There are also foods that help the body absorb iron. That is why people suffering from IDA should know what is better for absorbing iron in the body, and what is better to refuse completely.
Iron preparations are inorganic in nature, therefore, when interacting with certain substances (inhibitors), they form poorly solubleor insoluble compounds. As a result, the amount of iron that enters the body decreases, the treatment time increases, the patient has low hemoglobin.
What better to give up
Among those medicines and foods that are best avoided when taking iron supplements:
- Foods high in calcium: cottage cheese, eggs, dairy products, milk;
- vitamin complexes with calcium;
- antacids and antibiotics;
- cocoa, coffee, tea;
- nuts, seeds, cereals (they contain phytates, which significantly inhibit the absorption of iron into the blood)/
Scientific experiments have shown that tea reduces the effectiveness of iron supplements by 62%.
Many vegetables and fruits (greens, eggplant, olives, pumpkin, grapes, persimmons, dates, beans, carrots) contain phenolic compounds. They need them to protect them from pests.
Phenols are iron-chelating agents, therefore they negatively affect the amount of absorbed iron.
When taking iron tablets
Some foods contain promoters that stimulate micronutrient absorption. Iron is better absorbed with vitamin C.
It is found in fresh, uncooked vegetables and fruits. Ascorbic acid helps the body absorb iron.
If anemia treatmentcarried out by preparations of a trivalent metal, vitamin C acts as a stimulator for the transition to its divalent form, which the body absorbs into the intestines.
Scientists have been able to prove that iron supplements are better absorbed with sauerkraut. The effectiveness of many iron preparations depends on the ratio of inhibitors (retarders) and promoters (accelerators) in foods.
Admission rules
How to drink iron so that it is better absorbed by the body? Should food inhibitors be eliminated from the diet? Doctors are convinced that the refusal of an adult to certain foods is less dangerous than anemia.
That's why they encourage patients to make adjustments to the menu. What about pregnant women and children, for whom the consumption of vegetables, cereals, and dairy products is mandatory? How should they take iron for better absorption?
The best option would be to select a drug that does not interact with inhibitor substances. Among these preparations, created on the basis of natural heme iron, we highlight "Hemobin".
The active ingredient of the supplement is made from purified animal blood hemoglobin. The preparation contains ascorbic acid, which contributes to the maximum absorption of iron into the patient's blood.
The metal in the preparation is associated with protein, so it is easily absorbed, does not form compounds with substances from food.
Manufacturers of this drug offer special additives to enrichmilk and fermented milk products intended for baby food with iron.
Reception Time
Having found out what iron is better absorbed with, let's move on to the analysis of the optimal time for taking its preparations.
The daily dose is divided into three doses: morning, afternoon, evening. The exact time may not be respected. It is important to ensure that there is an equal time interval between doses.
If you skip one dose, do not take a double dose of the drug the next time. This can lead to an excess of iron, which will negatively affect the patient's he alth.
Only with regular and proper intake, you can count on achieving the desired result - getting rid of anemia.
Doctors advise taking pills 2 hours before meals. If the patient's he alth worsens while taking the drug, it is allowed to use the medicine with food.
Hemoblin does not cause side effects, so it is suitable for taking with or without food.
Important points
When discussing the form in which iron is better absorbed by the body, we note that it depends on the individual characteristics of a person.
If the patient is simultaneously prescribed calcium or another drug that affects the absorption of iron, it is necessary to take a 2-2.5 hour break between taking different tablets.
To improve the bioavailability of trace elements, the doctor prescribes folic orascorbic acid.
The specialist determines the duration of the course of iron-containing preparations, taking into account the initial hemoglobin values, as well as the observed dynamics.
The average duration of treatment is 1-2 months, in some cases the course is extended up to 6 months. Therapy continues even after the condition has stabilized, as the body needs to accumulate iron stores so that the disease does not recur.
Admission rules
Let's continue the conversation about what iron is better absorbed with. Let us dwell on the question concerning the rules for taking preparations of this metal.
Iron is the main element that ensures the flow of numerous metabolic processes in the human body. The results of statistical studies indicate that almost half of women 25-30 years of age are iron deficient. The causes of Fe deficiency are:
- wrong diet;
- loss of menstrual blood;
- poor iron absorption.
The reasons are completely removable, you just need to make certain changes in the diet.
The importance of iron for the body
The body of an adult contains 4-5 g of Fe. The element is part of the hemoglobin protein, is found in the bone marrow, spleen, liver, muscles. Iron is the carrier of oxygen in the body. This metal, found in food, combines with protein in the small intestine to form the compound ferritin.
With insufficient iron inthe body, oxygen circulation decreases, anemia occurs. Metal deficiency leads to numerous negative consequences for the human body: a decrease in physical performance, mental activity, and concentration.
Also, in the case of iron deficiency, heart rhythm disturbances are possible. Most often, the lack of an element is observed in women, which is explained by the peculiarities of physiology.
Anemia is considered the last stage of a mineral deficiency. It is characterized by an insufficient concentration of hemoglobin and red blood cells. This disease occurs quite often, you can cope with the problem only with a balanced diet and taking iron supplements.
Anemia Diet Option
The lack of the mineral is due to its small amount in food, as well as the low absorption of iron from the gastrointestinal tract. In order to cope with such a problem, a balanced diet is necessary. We offer a variant of the "iron menu". For the normal functioning of the body, 2 mg of Fe is needed per day. This element is included in many products.
But only 10% of iron is absorbed from food. Therefore, to fully meet the body's need for a mineral, it is important to increase its concentration in the diet by 10 times.
Heme iron found in animal products is much better absorbed than that found in plant foods. To solve the problem of iron deficiency, nutritionists recommendthe following foods: eggs, seafood, lean meats. The weekly menu of an adult should have 3-4 eggs.
The assimilation of a valuable mineral for the body improves, according to many doctors, folic acid. It is found in cabbage, spinach, so they should also be included in the diet of an anemic patient.
Nuts, seeds, dark chocolate, dried fruits are considered he althy foods. As components that ensure the quality of the absorption of iron by the body, nutritionists note B vitamins, as well as ascorbic acid.
Vitamin B6 is found in meat, cheese, dried plums, liver, avocados, nuts. Vitamin B12 is rich in eggs, seafood, red meat. Ascorbic acid is found in large quantities in red and black currants.
To achieve optimal absorption of iron, you must follow all the recommendations of a specialist, observe the intervals between doses of drugs.
