Making the Most of Your Iron Supplements or Multivitamins
Filed in archive Pregnancy and Nutrition , Second Trimester on November 27, 2007
So you're taking prenatal multivitamins. But do you know that the timing and manner you take them can affect their efficacy?
To make the most of your iron supplements or iron-containing multivitamins, for example, it is best to take them with a some citrus juice (vitamin C or ascorbic acid is said to improve iron absorption. Some formulations available in the market already do come with some vitamin C, so if you you might want to choose such a brand. In addition, it is best not to take it immediately after breakfast as there are compounds in coffee and milk which interfere with iron absorption.
There are certain foods that will inhibit iron absorption so you should avoid taking the supplement with any of them, even though it usually takes large amounts of the offending food to interfere. Some of the basic foods that will do this are: oxalic acid found in spinach and phosphates found primarily in milk, dairy products and egg whites. Also many sodas, phytates in beans and tannins in tea and coffee can interfere with iron absorption.
I've now taken the habit of taking my iron-containing multivitamins in the mornings before breakfast, and my calcium supplement in the evenings.
Tags: prenatal+vitamins iron multivitamins pregnancy most iron+supplements next+nine making+most
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New, dual action iron supplement pill with virtually no gastrointestinal side effects for people who need the energy and nutritional benefits from iron to be available without prescription
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CHICAGO, October 27, 2008 — Announced today at the American Dietetic Association, Bifera (www.bifera.com), an over-the-counter iron supplement that offers both heme (protein-based iron) and non-heme iron (plant-based iron) will be available in stores in early 2009. Unlike other iron supplements, Bifera provides two types of iron in one small pill for maximum absorption with virtually no gastrointestinal side effects.
Bifera is similar to Alaven's current prescription prenatal supplement PreferaOB, which contains both heme and non-heme iron.
"Bifera – unlike all other over-the-counter iron supplements that only include non-heme iron – is steak and potato in pill form for people who need the energy and nutritional benefits provided by both heme and non-heme iron," said Autumn Akin, Bifera product manager.
According to Akin, heme is the key that unlocks the efficiency of non-heme iron. Recent studies show the heme iron found in Bifera offers 23 times greater absorption than other iron supplements and that heme iron may be as effective as intravenous iron, making it a much less expensive alternative to a treatment that currently has limited to no insurance reimbursement.
"When patients are deficient in iron, their organs aren't performing at maximum capacity and they experience a decrease in energy," said Akin. "Similar to a hybrid car, Bifera is small, efficient and produces energy quickly without unwanted side effects, like nausea and constipation.
In fact, Bifera can be taken on an empty stomach, with other multi-vitamin supplements and, unlike other iron supplements currently on the market, Bifera can be taken in conjunction with acid reduction medications," said Akin.
Bifera is recommended for adults already taking supplemental iron, women of childbearing age, pregnant women, anemics, and men and women who simply need more iron in their diet and the energy provided by Bifera.