To be clear, this post is not meant as a “You should take THIS Iron supplement.” It is meant more as a, “This is the Iron supplement I am currently taking, maybe you’ve never heard of this one? Or maybe you have, in which case, here’s my feedback – what’s yours?”
There’s no way I have the time or the resources to get into detailed research about what any supplement really does or doesn’t. I generally order what seems to have the maximum decent reviews and no outright “OMG I almost died” kind of reviews. Supplements like these are not FDA approved and the disclaimers on the bottles are usually on the lines of “This is not meant to replace dietary intake.” Ergo, don’t skip meals and substitute with supplements, regardless of what the bottle sticker says.
So. Iron. I used to have super low hemoglobin growing up. It stayed that way for the most part till about a decade ago. Not because I wasn’t being given Iron supplements but because I wasn’t taking them regularly. I’ve had blood test done over the last one year. Mainly to help me keep track of what my body’s upto. And my hemoglobin’s fine. I’ve stuck to taking my supplement regularly, for a change. So the change in blood tests is evident.
I don’t take these everyday. Mu multi-vitamins have iron in them. I take these when I’m on my period. To counter the blood loss. It feels like this bottle lasts forever – because only 4-5 capsules each month. In terms of my meals, I don’t think I get enough iron – I eat very little and I eat eggs plus a salad ( quinoa + kale + chicken + onions + bell pepper + feta cheese + lemon + mustard ). That’s pretty much all I eat each day. Sometimes I’ll eat a dosa ( rise ) because I feel like it. Sometimes a bit of spinach ( blanched and then cooked with burnt garlic ). Etc. Fiber is important if you’re going to have any supplements absorbed properly into your blood stream. Always take your supplements when you’re eating a meal – in the middle – not after.
Drink lots of water. After years of struggling with water intake, I’ve finally managed to up it to about 2 liters per day.
Also keep in mind that supplementing too much puts pressure on your liver. There are things you need to be aware of – about your own body – and then supplement accordingly. I think we need supplements these days because our food doesn’t provide nutrition the way it used to till about 50-60 years ago.
Nature’s Bounty Gentle Iron 28mg capsules. 90 capsules in this bottle. Order using my affiliate link on Amazon. ( Or not! ) I’m very uncomfortable swallowing pills – so I prefer this capsule style – goes down easily. I’m going to be sharing what I take for Calcium supplements too – and that one’s a “tablet capsule” and it does NOT go down well.
I will be sharing the other supplements and vitamins I eat, in the coming weeks.
I am not a doctor so please do check with your doctor before experimenting with these products. If you know of or have used a better supplement, please do tell!
