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Taking iron supplements every two days can help improve absorption

If you need to take an iron supplement, you can assume that you have to be a diligent to take it every day. Although you should always take a supplement exactly as a prescribed, it is worth chatting with your health care provider to confirm whether a daily routine is necessary or even effective.

Some research suggests that taking an iron supplement every two days can be effective, and it could even work better for some people.

  • If you have an iron deficiency but you are not anemicAdjusting your dosage routine could be an option.
  • If you have an iron deficiency and you are anemicSpeak with your medical supplier of dosage, which can be recommended daily or every two days, depending on the amount of dose and your ability to tolerate side effects such as constipation or nausea.
  • If you just try to increase your iron consumption, Taking it every two days can help your body absorb it more effectively.

Your body is intelligent to regulate your iron consumption to make sure you don’t get too much. Hormone, hepcidine, can be slightly hyperactive when your iron levels increase. Hepcidine is triggered to block the absorption of iron when you take a supplement, but hepcidine levels could increase for 24 hours and stop any new iron consumption during this period.

If you take your iron every two days, it could give the hepcidin of highlights a chance to calm down. When you take your next dose of iron, you could really absorb more.

There are also other ways to stimulate iron absorption if everyday dosage does not work for you. Here are some items to consider when you take your iron supplement:

  • Try to twin it with Fruits rich in vitamin C.
  • Avoid taking it with calcium (including supplements or milk), Coffee, tea and all super fiber foods or supplementsAs all these elements can hamper the absorption of iron.
  • Talk to your health care provider If iron supplements continue to cause discomfort in your intestine. They can work with you to suggest alternatives or manage your dosage.
Very well health uses only high -quality sources, including studies evaluated by peers, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to find out more about how we check the facts and keep our content precise, reliable and trustworthy.
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  2. Pasupathy E, Kandasamy R, Thomas K, Basheer A. Day alternative compared to daily oral iron for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia: a randomized controlled trial. SCI REP. 2023; 13 (1). Two: 10.1038 / S41598-023-29034-9

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  5. Lo Jo, Benson AE, Martens KL, et al. The role of oral iron in the treatment of adults with iron deficiency. EUR J HAEMATOL. 2023; 110 (2): 123-130. DOI: 10.1111 / EJH.13892

  6. Stoffel naked, Zeder C, Brittenham GM, Moretti D, Zimmermann Mb. The iron absorption of supplements is greater with an alternative day than with a consecutive day dosage in women who are deficient in iron. Hematologica. 2020; 105 (5): 123-3-1239. DOI: 10.3324 / attack. 2019.2230

  7. Li N, Zhao G, Wu W, Zhang M, et al. The effectiveness and safety of vitamin C for iron supplementation in adult patients with iron deficiency anemia: a randomized clinical trial. Jama Netw open. 2020; 3 (11): E2023644. DOI: 10.1001 / JamanetWorkopen.2020.23644

  8. MEDLINEPLUS. Take iron supplements.


By Abby Norman

Norman is a writer and editor with more than a decade of experience in the health care industry.

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