Doctors prescribe high doses of iron to quickly replenish the body's iron stores and correct the deficiency in the shortest time possible. The amount prescribed should depend on the severity of the anaemia, the patient's overall health, and their ability to absorb iron. However, iron supplements can have side effects such as stomach upset or constipation, so the dosage needs to be balanced with potential side effects.

We have many customers who are understandably hesitant to take such high doses of synthetic iron and want to use our product instead. Although we formulated this product to prevent deficiency, it is possible to use it to reverse one. Iron absorption is a complicated topic, but we'll review it below and recommend some doses.

Doctors often prescribe 200 mg of ferrous sulphate for anaemia, which at most contains around 65 mg of elemental iron (different forms and products will vary). Elemental iron is the form that the body can absorb and use (only around 10-40% of that is absorbed, more on that later). The rest of the weight comprises sulfate ions and other components, such as fillers, binders, or coatings, used in the production of the tablet or capsule. The body does not absorb the sulfate the same way as the iron, and is typically excreted in the urine.

The nutrients we list in the nutrition section of our products are always the elemental level. So in one capsule of our Gentle Iron product, there is 16 mg of elemental iron. However, because we use whole food iron, our iron is 1.77 times more absorbed into the blood than the isolated ferrous sulfate doctors prescribe. So our 16 mg is the equivalent of about 28 mg of ferrous sulfate.

Therefore 2.3 capsules of our Gentle Iron are equivalent to one 200 mg dose of ferrous sulphate, providing 65 mg of elemental iron. However, there are some other factors to consider.

Iron absorption is a complex process that numerous factors can influence. One of the critical factors affecting iron absorption is the presence of other substances in the stomach and intestines at the time of iron ingestion. By taking iron on an empty stomach, you avoid these potential interactions. However, some individuals may experience gastrointestinal side effects like nausea, upset stomach, or constipation when taking iron supplements on an empty stomach. This is especially true for isolated iron forms such as ferrous sulphate.

Therefore, for individuals who can not take ferrous sulphate on an empty stomach because of unpleasant side effects, but do not experience side effects from taking our Gentle Iron on an empty stomach, the amount of iron absorbed from our Gentle Iron can be much more.

Furthermore, there's a limit to how much iron can be absorbed at a given time. When high doses of iron are consumed, the percentage of iron absorbed can decrease. This is why iron supplements are often recommended to be taken in divided doses throughout the day rather than as a single large dose. Because each of our Gentle Iron capsules contains less iron than a prescribed capsule, for individuals who have just been prescribed one pill a day, it is much easier to break up the dose into multiple smaller amounts with our Gentle Iron, further boosting absorption.

These factors, however, are hard to measure, so the best approach is to try and match a like-for-like prescribed dose, which would be 2.3 capsules. This can be increased to 3 or decreased to 2 depending on the discussed factors. As mentioned before, though, the more iron you can take and absorb each day, the faster a deficiency will be reversed. If your doctor has prescribed multiple 200 mg doses to be taken throughout the day you may have a more severe case, 2/3 capsules of Gentle Iron would need to be taken for each doctor-prescribed dose. We do have bulk discount codes available for high-value orders.

It's also worth noting iron absorption from the diet or supplements is not a passive process. It's tightly regulated by the body based on its current iron stores and needs. When the body has sufficient iron, it decreases absorption from the intestines to prevent excess accumulation. Conversely, when iron stores are low, as in iron-deficiency anaemia, the body can increase iron absorption to compensate. This means when people with anaemia first start supplementing, they are likely to absorb more iron, so another approach is to scale the dose upwards as you progress through your supplement course—starting with two capsules daily and increasing to 3 after a month.

A couple more things to consider, Vitamin C increases iron absorption, so it is a good idea to take our Vitamin C capsule with it or take your iron with a glass of orange juice. As mentioned, iron is best absorbed on an empty stomach, so take it 30 minutes before eating or 2 hours after eating. But if it upsets your stomach, you can take it with or after food. Caffeine and calcium can reduce iron absorption, so leave a 2-hour gap on either side before consuming tea, coffee, eggs or dairy products.

In terms of how long, this is hard to say. It depends on the dose you take, your body's ability to absorb it, the extent of your deficiency, and the timings of your supplementation. Monitoring symptoms and regular doctor visits can help determine this, and we'd also recommend home testing; they are cheap and easy to use now, and it prevents any uncertainty. Here is an example of one that detects if you have low iron in your blood: www.personaldiagnostics.co.uk/anaemiascreen. But we'd recommended starting with three months at a 2-3 capsule dose.

Lastly, high iron supplementation can reduce your zinc absorption. Anyone needing to take iron with food because they experience side effects taking it on an empty stomach may want to supplement zinc at a different time to compensate. Again though, take that a few hours apart from your iron. Together's natural zinc: www.togetherhealth.co.uk/zinc

To calculate the equivalent dose of Gentle Iron to your prescribed dose, look at the back of the packet. Try to determine the elemental iron in the product. Divide this by 28. That will give you the equivalent number of Gentle Irons to match one dose. If you have been prescribed multiple doses daily, you must take this number of Gentle Irons the same amount to reach the dose. As outlined above, there are cases where you will absorb more Gentle Iron, but these are hard to give exact figures for. Do not continue the dose longer than your doctor prescribed to prevent iron overload.