Iron tablets?!

So here's the scoop:

I've been vegan for a little over a year now.... and I never seemed to have problems with low-iron levels until recently. I've been bruising like crazy... I feel a little dizzy/lightheaded when I stand up, I feel pretty weakened, and I've been fairly tired/fatigued lately, but yet, I do not feel SICK, in the slightest... so I'm assuming I'm becoming a little anemic :&

And, I know what sorts of food I could eat, to get my iron levels back up...but I just don't trust that I will eat enough to get back on track... I'm not very good at balancing things out when it comes to nutrition....

So, I was considering taking iron tablets ....but, I know with certain vitamins and such, you have to be careful as not to OD on them and what not.

Therefore, I was wondering what any of you would suggest? Like, about how many miligrams of Iron is safe?

Also, I hear that you can get constipated while taking Iron, so I also was wondering if any of you knew if theres a way to avoid that?

All help/suggestions are much appreciated, thanks

oh, also, P.S. I am currently taking a vegan multi-vitamin, which does not contain any iron.... so, if for any reason a multi-vitamin + iron is a bad mix, please let me know, too. Thanks.

{I am seriously new, to taking supplements and such... so forgive me, if I sound like an idiot.}

 

you need to run some blood test first, you can't just assume you're anemic unfortunately
iron overdose can be dangerous, so fisrt of all i suggest you do your blood tests...
your symptoms could match more types of anemia, you have to see which..

also you could have enough iron in your circulation but little iron in your blood cells...if you take irion tablets you will only increase the level of iron in your circulation, not the one in your blood cells...i suggest you pump up your vitamin C level, becuase vitamin C helps iron absorbtion...
and if you want to go natural, eat lots of spinach...

 

thank you for that

Blah... I was hoping I didn't have to go to the doctor. And I haaaate blood tests :&

 

I was diagnosised as anemic before. They tell you to take iron pills and sometimes, they'll mention vitamin C. I take Hema-plex, a product of Nature's Plus. It is vegetarian and contains 85 mg of Iron. Iron overdose is rare in adults; it mostly happens to young children, so don't be too concerned about that (unless you are taking ungodly amounts of Iron!) This also contains vitamin C, E, B 1, 2, 6 & 12, flate, Niacin, and Calcium. Today, I passed the hemacrit test and I was able to donate blood!

Peace & Love

 

dont' forget to make sure your protein intake is good too - I often get dizzy and stupid feeling when I haven't eaten and proteinrich foods (like peanuts) are the best cure for that that I've run across so far (aside from remembering to not skip meals lol)

 

hehe I'm positive I'm good on protein. For being vegan, I sure eat more protein, than I probably do anything else. I can't get enough of tofu :&

I've always had troubles keeping my iron levels up though... no matter what I do. Everytime I've gotten a blood test, it's been like "well it's a little low....but you're okay...just eat more leafy greens" and such... I've been trying to, but... apparently not enough :H

My biggest problem is, I have a history of eating disorders, and it's just REALLY difficult for me to keep track of nutrition and such.... I am used to not eating much of anything, and I've only just started recovering about a year ago... so, it's still difficult for me to keep it all balanced out, on top of being vegan.

I'd like to think I've been doing better, keeping myself healthy... but when it comes to vitamins and what not, I just seem to fail miserably, hehe.

Not to mention, that because I just started recovering not so long ago, my enzymes/vitamins are still a little out of whack, regardless....

blah.

i hate health, sometimes.

 

Thank you!!

I actually bought some 65mg iron tablets like... a few weeks ago, but I was hesitant to use them, because I always hear people saying "Make sure you dont overdose on vitamins!"

I don't know dude, I used to eat Flinstones like candy when I was little and never had a problem :sunglasse hahahaha

 

On a side note, Iron causes constipation and bad gas, as well as hard black stools. Drink plenty of water or other non-carbonated fluids, as well as eat plenty of fiber. I would recommend taking the pills every other day to begin to avoid painful bathroom problems. When I was anemic and taking iron, no one warned me about the constipation and after two weeks, I decided I would rather be anemic than constipated. That's my experience. I take the Hema-plex every other day or so, and I don't have NEARLY the problems as the first time I took iron or even when I took the Hema-plex every day. I also probably have irriatable bowel syndrome so that might have caused some issues. Good luck!

Peace & Love

 

Apples+Oranges, i just remembered, being vegan you have very few sources for getting enough B12 vitamin...in the absence of B12 you can develop pernicious anemia...one of my friends just got it...be sure you take B12 supplements if you can find any...becuase pernicious anemia begins with feeling tired, but can develop with lots of ugly neurological symptoms...

 

thanks, gulf.... I actually just started taking a vegan multi-vitamin about 4 or 5 days ago... so that should help with the B12.

And, I just read about pernicious anemia... and that actually makes a great deal of sense. I'll just take my multi-vitamins for now, and if I start to feel better, then, sweet deal. If not, I suppose I'll have to go in for blood tests and such. Blah.


This is a little off topic... but speaking of B vitamins.
I was literally having like, neon yellow piss for the past couple days and I got worried...I looked it up, and like every reference I saw, said that neon yellow urine indicates your body is getting more than enough B2 [Riboflavin] and is flushing the rest out... So I know I'm good on B 2!! haha.

 

yeah...usually really yellow pee means that you're not absorbing all the supplements you're taking & thus just peeing them out. most commercial supplements are not readily/easily absorbed by the body. have you heard of liquid floradix? it is an herbal iron supplement. made in switzerland i think, but available at any decent health food store. a lot of herbalist recommend it as a natural way to boost your iron (a good idea for most women of the childbearing age)
also if you're into making you're own stuff....i have a recipe for a similar syrup (like a homemade version of floradix). you can pm me if you want it
personally i have NOT had positive experiences with other forms of iron supplements, like pills. i think our bodies accent more natural plant forms of iron much easier

 

According to Adelle Davis in her book "Let's Eat Right To Keep Fit" she claimed if you were going to take Iron tablets then 10 hours later you should take vitamin E tablets as iron tablets destroys Vitamin E in a way that dietary iron does not. Kinda put me off being a veg*n.

 

hehe, yeah but you can easily get iron from foods like spinach and stuff....which I'm doing rather than taking the tablets

Though, I am taking a multivitamin...especially for the B12....

 

There is not that much iron in spinage but there is vitamin K. The iron that is found in vegetarian foods is non haem-iron and this is not as easlily absorbed as haem iron. You can however increase your iron absorbtion rate from vegetarian foods by consuming lots of vitamin C with your food such as drinking orange juice.

 

I take that supplement myself and it's really good. It has an easily absorbable form of iron in it as well as other blood tonics (like vitamin C and B12) as well as herbs. You'll absorb more and it's less likely to constipate you than tablets.

I don't absorb a lot of nutrients from food so I have to take a lot of supplements. If you want to know anything Apples + Oranjes (or anyone), just ask.

 

I go through a half gallon of OJ every other day!

 

Iron tablets cause constapation and most arent suitable for vegans - you can have a very very healthy vegan diet - look into kale and spinach etc they have very very high iron qualaties and should help you a bit

 

Not all iron tablets are. I found that Hemaplex brand uses spinach and broccoli as opposed to animal products. I take it more often than before since I feel anemic due to donating blood. If you take them every other day, constipation won't be a real problem but you will have dark stinky stools. Just eat a lot of fiber and drink plenty of water and you will be fine! Also, increase your consumption of Copper and Vitamin B as well as C. They all help iron absorbtion.

Check out this site about minerals, especially ones in the form of amino acid chelates. Minerals such as iron found in amino acid chelates are up to 95% absorbed! http://www.enerex.ca/articles/synergistically_balanced_amino_acid_chelated_minerals.htm

Peace & Love

 

Most multivits do not have enough B 12 for a vegan. You will still need a supplement, BUT, before you do this, you need to see a doctor. Bruising is not only caused by anemia. Taking iron supplements if you are NOT iron anemic can be destructive to your GI system and your circulatory system.

The best bet is to see a good doctor, who has experience with treating vegans. It may NOT be anemia, and if you start takinng the B12 and still have pernicious anemia, the tests for it will be inaccurate. Seeing a good HCP is really what you need to do.

You haven't been taking either a lot of aspirin or willow bark tea, have you? Either can cause severe bleeding and bruising.

Good luck Apples andOranges.

 

No.... I cant take aspirin period...it makes me nauceas. And willow bark? I dont think so...I drink tea .... this relaxation stuff, but I am pretty certain it isn't that...

Anyway, thanks... I am going to see a doctor on Monday, anyhow, so I will run that by the doctor and get some advice