The most common way to treat anemia is by taking iron-containing medications: tablets for adults, drops for children. Let's talk about what is best absorbed by iron.
Theoretical aspects
Mild and moderate forms of anemia do not involve hospitalization. In such cases, the question of how to take iron preparations 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 such foods that contribute to the absorption of iron by the body. That is why people suffering from IDA should know what iron is better absorbed in the body, and what it is better to completely abandon.
Iron preparations are inorganic in nature, therefore, when interacting with certain substances (inhibitors), they form poorly soluble or insoluble compounds. As a result, the amount of iron entering the body decreases, the treatment time increases, and the patient has low hemoglobin.
What is better to refuse
Among those medications and products that it is better to refuse 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 that significantly inhibit the absorption of iron into the blood) /
In the course of scientific experiments, it was found that tea reduces the effectiveness of iron-containing drugs by 62%.
Many vegetables and fruits (greens, eggplant, olives, pumpkin, grapes, persimmons, dates, beans, carrots) contain phenolic compounds. They need them to protect against insect pests.
Phenols are iron chelating agents, therefore, negatively affect the amount of absorbed iron.
When taking iron tablets
Some foods contain promoters that stimulate the absorption of trace elements. Iron is better absorbed with vitamin C.
It is found in fresh vegetables and fruits that are not cooked. Ascorbic acid helps the body absorb iron.
If anemia is treated with trivalent metal preparations, vitamin C acts as a stimulant for the transition to its divalent form, which the body absorbs into the intestines.
Scientists were able to prove that iron preparations are better absorbed with sauerkraut. The effectiveness of many iron preparations depends on the ratio of inhibitors (inhibitors) and promoters (accelerators) in food products.
Admission Rules
How to drink iron so that it is better absorbed by the body? Should inhibitor products be excluded from the diet? Doctors are convinced that the refusal of an adult from certain foods is less dangerous than anemia.
That is why they recommend that patients make adjustments to the menu. What to do with pregnant women and children, for which the use of vegetables, cereals, dairy products is mandatory? How should they take iron to be better absorbed?
The best option would be the selection of a drug that does not interact with inhibitor substances. Among these drugs, created on the basis of natural heme iron, we highlight Hemobin.
The active substance of the additive is made from purified hemoglobin of animal blood. As part of the drug there is ascorbic acid, which contributes to the maximum absorption of iron in the patient's blood.
The metal in the preparation is bound to protein; therefore, it is easily absorbed and does not form compounds with food substances.
The manufacturers of this drug offer special additives to enrich milk and sour-milk products intended for baby food with iron.
Time to receive
Having found out what is better absorbed by iron, we turn 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 can not be respected. It is important to ensure that between receptions there is an equal time interval.
When skipping one dose, it is forbidden to 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 state of health.
Only with regular and proper admission can you count on achieving the desired result - getting rid of anemia.
Doctors advise drinking tablets 2 hours before meals. If the patient's well-being worsens when taking the drug, it is allowed to use the medicine with food.
The drug "Hemoblin" does not cause side effects, so it is suitable for use regardless of meals.
Important points
Speaking about in what form iron is better absorbed by the body, we note that this 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 or ascorbic acid together with iron preparations.
The specialist determines the duration of the course of iron-containing drugs, taking into account the initial hemoglobin indicators, as well as the observed dynamics.
The average duration of treatment is 1-2 months, in some cases, the course is extended to 6 months. Therapy continues after stabilization, as the body needs to accumulate a supply of iron so that the disease does not resume.
Admission Rules
We continue the conversation about what is better absorbed by iron. Let us dwell on the question regarding the rules for taking drugs 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 deficient in iron. The causes of Fe deficiency are:
improper diet;
menstrual blood loss;
poor absorption of iron.
The reasons are completely removable, you just need to make certain changes to 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, found in the bone marrow, spleen, liver, muscles. It is iron that is the carrier of oxygen in the body. This metal, which is present in food, combines with the protein in the small intestine to form the ferritin compound.
With an insufficient amount of iron in the body, oxygen circulation decreases, anemia occurs. A metal deficiency leads to numerous negative consequences for the human body: a decrease in physical performance, mental activity, and concentration.
Also, in case of iron deficiency, heart rhythm disturbance is possible. Most often, a 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. Such a disease occurs quite often, to cope with the problem only with a balanced diet and taking medications containing iron.
Diet option for anemia
The lack of mineral is explained by its insignificant amount in food, as well as low digestibility of iron from the gastrointestinal tract. In order to cope with a similar problem, you need a balanced diet. We offer the option of "iron menu". 2 mg of Fe is needed per day for the body to function properly. This element is part of many products.
But from food, only 10% of iron is absorbed by the body. Therefore, to fully satisfy the body's need for a mineral, it is important to increase its concentration in the diet by 10 times.
The heme iron contained in animal products is absorbed much better than that found in plant foods. To solve the problem of iron deficiency, nutritionists recommend the following products: eggs, seafood, lean meat. An adult should have 3-4 eggs in the weekly menu.
The absorption 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 a patient suffering from anemia.
Useful products include nuts, seeds, dark chocolate, dried fruits. As components that ensure the quality of assimilation of iron by the body, nutritionists note the vitamin B group, 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.