Recommended Daily Iron Intake 

Things to Consider Prior to Taking Iron Supplements

If you feel that you have a need to consume iron supplements, you should discuss this with your doctor. A licensed medical professional will be able to prescribe iron supplements that are appropriate for you and your situation if deemed necessary. If you choose to take over-the-counter iron supplements, there are many things that you should consider before doing so. In this article, we will review some of the most common things that you should consider prior to taking iron supplements.

One of the first things that you should do prior to taking iron supplements is carefully read the label on the medication. Many people do not realize how potentially dangerous taking an iron supplement is and may choose to overlook this valuable information. You should ensure that you completely understand what kind of dosage you should be taking and if there are any situations, in which you should not take iron supplements. 

Once you have read the label on the medication, use it only as directed. If you do not use the medication as directed, it may not help your low iron. Additionally, not following the medication as directed could result in having too much iron. Too much iron can damage the important organs of the body and even result in death.

Prior to taking iron supplements, you should carefully consider and evaluate any allergies that you have. You must also consider any allergies experienced previously. This is particularly important if you experienced an allergy to something that included iron or certain types of dyes and paints. If allergies like this have been experienced, to these forms of items in the past, you may have the same type of reaction to iron supplements.

If breastfeeding, you should carefully consider this prior to taking iron supplements. If you experience low iron while you are pregnant, it is best to take the prescription that your doctor issues to you to ensure that you do not cause any issues to the developing fetus. If you are pregnant and take iron supplements you could not only cause damage to the developing fetus, but you can also cause damage to yourself that can be potentially life-threatening.

There are many types of medications that should be avoided while taking iron supplements. If you are considering taking iron supplements, you should take into consideration whether the medicines that you take now will conflict with the iron supplements. The following medications should not be taken at the same time that you take iron supplements: 

* If taking antacids, you should avoid taking them at the same time that you take iron supplements. They should be taken at least three hours apart. Taking these two medicines too close together will cause both to be ineffective. 

* Dimercaprol 

* Fluoroquinolones If you have questions about any other medication that you are taking, you should consult your physician as to whether it is safe to take or not.

Therefore, it's extremely important to tackle iron overload (hemochromatosis) as soon as possible, using the simple steps explained here…

And if you're going through menopause, learn how to avoid most of the discomfort here…