(Part 2) Best iron mineral supplements according to redditors

You don’t have to be underweight to have anemia, you can have a vitamin/iron deficiency anemia for a number of reasons (e.g. your body doesn’t make enough red blood cells, you have a chronic condition, you’re sick, you have heavy menstruation, your diet is low in essential vitamins, etc.).

I have iron deficiency anemia, so I take iron supplements everyday and they’ve helped me immensely. Folate, B-12, and Vitamin C are also vitamins that can be taken to combat/prevent vitamin deficiency.

*It’s always good to talk to your doctor before starting any supplement. They can also order blood work to check if you are anemic.

I was told I've got low iron and I should start taking iron twice a day. I did a lot of research and found this one:

Salus-Haus - Floradix Floravital Iron & Herbs Yeast Free - 8.5 oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00028Q1ZI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_SUY78HwWjicX8

It has great reviews on r/babybumps and I figured it was worth a try. It's been seriously great! It tastes a bit gross, but if you chase it with orange juice (make sure it's not fortified with calcium) you can't taste it. Also vitamin C helps the body absorb iron. I feel freaking fantastic about 30 minutes after taking a dose, like, my heart rate and blood pressure go down, I have tons of energy, I don't feel sick at all. It's been great. And so far, no constipation, no upset tummy. When I went to my next appointment after being told to start iron, my midwife recommended this too, and said you either order it on Amazon or find it in health food stores. Sure said that is the best one she's ever seen, because it's so gentle.

Sorry for that word dump, I just recently went through this. I know the hard to breath feeling sucks a lot.

https://www.amazon.com/Calcium-Potassium-Phosphate-Citrate-Powder/dp/B01N6ZCHOZ?th=1

https://www.amazon.com/Ferrous-Fumarate-Powder-BulkSupplements-Supplement/dp/B075H3PCSQ/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=iron%2Bsupplement%2Bpowder&qid=1558466377&s=gateway&sr=8-3&th=1

B12 comes in a liquid form. etc

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01L14F1H0/
This is what I take.

It helps when you're susceptible to anemia. The anemia can happen around your period because of the iron in your period blood that you're losing.

I like the Spatone iron water supplements because they don't bother my stomach. The pills wreck me.

are you male? Taking Iron isn't usually something men should do.


>Hema-Plex Iron - 1 tablet daily for about 2 years. I really liked this one because I did notice better running performance. It also has a lot that I definitely think could lead to anxiety.
.

When my girl twin wouldn’t eat ANYTHING with iron, my doc told us that these were ok: https://www.amazon.com/Renzos-Strong-Dissolvable-Vitamins-Oh-Oh-Oh/dp/B06XY7DGXG

It’s going to get better again btw. My kids went through an insane picky period around this age and now, 6 months later, we are back to trying new foods and eating a wider variety.

Then you might want to try using something like https://www.amazon.com/NovaFerrum-125-Liquid-Iron-Supplement/dp/B00C2DHB5K/, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GZRJ5D0/, or https://www.amazon.com/Liquid-Iron-18-Now-Foods/dp/B01G5EQEF4/ in order to prevent anemia if using Keto Chow exclusively for all meals. An occasional meal with red meat will also work.

I know my diet isn’t amazing so I typically take a multi vitamin, iron supplement, vegan omega 3 supplement, vegan D3 supplement, and biotin (for non health related reasons).

Edit -
I can’t remember what my multivitamin is but here’s the other ones. I got them all off amazon

Iron:

EZ Melts Iron as Elemental Iron, 18 mg, Sublingual Vitamins, Vegan, Zero Sugar, Natural Orange Flavor, 90 Fast Dissolve Tablets https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NV5UTM0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_C3TOCb242PB9R

Omega 3:

Vegan Omega 3 Supplement - Marine Algal Source of EPA & DHA Fatty Acids - For Joint Support & Immune System - Heart & Skin + Brain Health Booster - Fish Oil Free Formula for Men & Women - 120 Softgels https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074N5JZK8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_F4TOCbVZHCSKH

D3:

Natures Plus Source of Life... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0042DDP44?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I’m definitely not an expert, but I tried these and liked them: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00H2BC8IC?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I would HIGHLY recommend these:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nelsons-Spatone-Natural-Supplement--42-Sachets/dp/B00EYDK2F2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1451507429&sr=8-1&keywords=spatone+iron

I'm borderline anemic and notice a real difference in my energy levels after consistently taking the sachets for a couple of weeks. They are best taken in half a cup of orange juice on a relatively empty stomach (e.g. an hour before/after food).

The issue with anemia sufferers is generally that they have problems absorbing iron, and considering that the bioavailability of iron-rich foods can be relatively low, supplementation is really the best way of improving matters. I would definitely suggest also eating lots of foods which are iron-dense (while consuming vitamin C, avoiding caffeine etc.) but it doesn't seem likely that it would raise your iron count tremendously on its own.

Iron tablets can severely disrupt digestion, and all the liquid formulas (such as Floradix) I have come across contain honey, so I really think the sachets are a good idea. And if you're going to go down this route, you should start ASAP - iron-deficiencies shouldn't be left without treatment!

Hi there! I've had iron issues for years pre-pregnancy due to Crohn's and heavy periods. For some reason, they disappeared for a brief window in time, only to rear their ugly head when I got pregnant.

I cannot stress how much these supplements in particular helped. I absolutely love them. Their easy on the stomach, do not cause insane constipation, and are effective. I need to buy another bottle, but I'm a little strapped for cash until payday.

Seriously. They're awesome.

Girl! You've got all of it happening. I understand. I really do. This sounds like my pregnancy with my son - I had GD and was also being monitored for accreta - so scary! And anemia is just par for the course when I am pregnant.

Here is what worked for me:

For the GD I took a cinnamon supplement every day. Or you can just put half a teaspoon in your morning coffee or milk. It's not like I think it can cure diabetes but in my case, it lowered my sugars just enough to avoid the insulin shots. I am not sure what happens for you next, but I was sent to both an endocrinologist and a nutritionist. The E gave me the stuff for monitoring and the nutritionist and I discussed how diet can impact your blood sugar and the combination of foods you need to eat. (Carbs with fat). The finger pricking was the worst part. Also, keep in mind, that there is no real risk to having GD. I read up on it quite a bit after my diagnosis and there really is no measurable or known issues for babies who are born to mothers with GD. If you don't treat it, your baby could be large, which could result in a c-section but in my case, I was a scheduled one anyway. Even the correlations with adult obesity later are weak.

For the anemia - this supplement was the best at getting my levels up. http://www.amazon.com/MegaFood-Blood-Builder-Tablets-Count/dp/B000F4ZRCC For this recent pregnancy I started it during the second trimester and for the first time I did not get anemia. It did not upset my stomach and worked awesome, even better than slow fe. Anemia can make you feel like crap too so this helped a lot with that.

The accreta was the most challenging psychologically. (They were monitoring me because my placenta planted itself on top of my previous c-section scar.) The idea that my baby could be born healthy and that I could then die on the table and leave my hubby with the kids was truly terrifying. And I wanted another baby so the idea of a hysterectomy also really upset me. And not to scare you but the anemia on top of that is not good. So, I would strongly encourage the Blood Builder. And remind them more than once as you labor and are in the delivery room that you are being monitored for accreta, etc. You don't want them to be surprised by it. They also put a main line (?) in my arm in addition to my IV during my section so that if I needed blood I was ready to go. Luckily, my placenta detached without incident. I was so grateful. And this last pregnancy, my placenta was on the back wall of the uterus so no risk.

Despite all the issues during my pregnancy my son was born healthy as a horse 8lbs14ounces and is my heartiest baby to date. In a way it's amazing that your healthcare is so good that they know to monitor you for all this stuff. :) Though you could probably not know about half of it and still have the same outcome. The odds are all in your favor.

Try a product called Blood Builder. Many people see a lot of success using this to raise their iron and feel more energized. I have been taking it in conjuction with Thorne Ferrasorb (Ferrous Bisglycinate Chelate) the last few weeks and I've much less like I need to fall asleep in the afternoons. My Ferritin was 9 last time I took it and I haven't had it checked since I started supplementing. I've been trying to raise my iron for years but I couldn't find the right combination of supplements that didn't hurt my stomach too much. This regimen doesn't bother my stomach and I have normal bowel movements.

Both of these products are great:

• MyKind liquid iron supplement
  
  
• HemaPlex iron capsules
  
  Both of these products have iron and methylated B vitamins (methyl-folate and methylcobalamin), for increased bioavailability.
  
  Of course, beef liver is by far the most bioavailable form of these nutrients.
  
  Also, if you're getting a D supplement, get one that has D3 and K2 together. They're complementary.

I was told to take Polyride ultra with b12 by a gynecologist/surgeon (not someone i see normally) after she found i had extremely low iron before a procedure so i didnt really question it tbh but i will deff do my research on this now. Good to know about the stool, deff would have thought i was bleeding higher up or something. Im actually quite excited that i can potentially "hack" my body to absorb more and forget to take my iron every other day 😏 and not spend an arm and a leg on a supplement. Thanks!
(Polyride Fe Ultra - 100 Capsules https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01FEGJ62C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_GVp6BbP27TNG1)

My doctor recommended the Celebrate Iron + C chewable tablets. It's the Ferrous Fumerate since it's supposed to be gentler on your stomach than the sulfate.

A word of advice, taking iron tablets can cause constipation, so be wary of that.

Floradix is a great brand and they have several options. I really like this (below) one has a decent flavor and the vitamin C helps with absorption. Neither have the constipation or nausea often that go with ferrous sulfate supplements.

Chewable Iron 18 mg with Vitamin C 30 mg Supplement Tablet in Orange Flavor 90 Count https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IPUJ606/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_UbGeAb1WF08JC

Have you tried the Floravital drops? Some have good luck with it.

Salus-Haus - Floradix Floravital Iron & Herbs Yeast Free - 8.5 oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00028Q1ZI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_zycCCbDBAKTA3

I had my thyroid removed due to thyroid cancer in January of 2014. Back then my nutritionist had warned me about the thyroid-gluten connection that appears to be an issue for many people. I disregarded it and went about my business.

About 6 weeks ago I was feeling the worse I ever have. Got my blood tested and my iron and ferritin were rock bottom. I was back in my nutritionist office going over the symptoms that were fairly new within the last 6 months, basically trying to figure out if it is all related to low iron. She brought up the gluten issue again and drew the connection between low iron weakening the body a bit, and therefore heightened symptoms from gluten sensitivity.

I cut gluten immediately and literally within a few days was feeling better. Most notable are the tummy issues. My gas, extreme bloating, constipation, etc literally disappeared. My skin is clearing up, my dry skin, itchy skin has disappeared. I took Adderall of years; I’ve been able to come completely off of it.

I’ve been taking hemaplex to supplement iron, which obviously has made me feel better, but if I so much as have a dinner roll, my tummy problem glare. It’s amazing what cutting gluten has done!

We have had a lot of luck with NutritiPure Chewable iron. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DLDQTSN/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_3.Z5CbZ4KXMP0

My son was very anemic (his ferritin was like 9) and this has been working wonders with zero side effects. He takes six a day. Yes, it seems like a crazy amount but it's helped a ton. His energy is up, his coloring has improved, and they taste good.


I hope you get a break soon.