what is meant by elemental iron

Full Answer

What is the difference between iron and elemental iron?

If two iron amounts are listed on the label, the larger number is the chemical compound form because iron is bound to salts (e.g., ferrous sulfate), whereas the smaller number refers only to the amount of iron in the compound, also called the elemental iron.

Is elemental iron healthy?

Iron is one of the minerals your body needs to function properly. Your body needs iron to produce hemoglobin and myoglobin. Hemoglobin is a protein in your red blood cells. Hemoglobin helps your blood carry oxygen from your lungs to all your body's tissues and organs.

What is the use of elemental iron?

ELEMENTAL IRON is used to treat iron deficiency and anaemia (deficiency of red blood cells and haemoglobin). It contains 'Elemental Iron,' an essential body mineral required by the red blood cells to carry oxygen to other body cells and tissues.

Which iron supplement has most elemental iron?

Ferrous fumarateFerrous fumarate has the highest percentage of elemental iron -- 33 percent -- while ferrous sulfate has 20 percent and ferrous gluconate offers 12 percent, reports the Office of Dietary Supplements.

What is the best form of iron to take?

Ferrous salts (ferrous fumarate, ferrous sulfate, and ferrous gluconate) are the best absorbed iron supplements and are often considered the standard compared with other iron salts.

What type of iron is best absorbed?

heme ironIron is found in the diet in two forms—heme iron, which is well absorbed, and nonheme iron, which is poorly absorbed. The best dietary source of absorbable (heme) iron is lean red meat.

Does vitamin b12 increase iron levels?

The relationship among vitamin B-12, folate and iron is a good example of the complex way in which some essential nutrients help keep your body healthy. Vitamin B-12 is indirectly responsible for raising your blood iron level to keep it in a healthy range.

How do I choose an iron supplement?

Here are some tips to help you choose the best iron supplement for your purposes:Determine which form you prefer. ... Determine the exact dose you need. ... Check the level of elemental iron. ... Know thy iron. ... Only take an iron supplement if needed. ... Check the possible side-effects.

Is it OK to take an iron supplement every day?

If you take iron supplements, do not take too much as this could be harmful. Taking 17mg or less a day of iron supplements is unlikely to cause any harm. But continue taking a higher dose if advised to by a GP.

How much elemental iron do I need?

Dietary iron supplementation Assuming an average absorption of 10% of the iron in a medicinal form, the daily elemental iron requirement is 10 mg in children, adult males and post menopausal women (to provide 1 mg to the body), 20 mg in young non-pregnant women and 30 mg in pregnant women.

What's the difference between elemental iron?

Elemental iron is the total amount of iron in the supplement available for absorption by your body. Each type of iron has a different percent of elemental iron. For instance: Carbonyl has 100% elemental iron.

How do you calculate elemental iron?

Calculating amount of elemental Fe ingested Multiply the total Fe content in each tablet by the percentage of elemental Fe for the product formulation. For example, the elemental iron equivalent calculation for 80 tablets of Ferrous Sulfate is: 325 mg Fe/tablet x 20% elemental Fe/tablet = 65 mg elemental Fe/tablet.

Is elemental iron good for anemia?

A common generic approach for iron deficiency in adults consists of a daily dose of 150-200 mg of elemental iron.

What is the difference between elemental iron and ferrous gluconate?

The main difference between ferrous sulfate and ferrous gluconate is how much elemental iron they contain. Ferrous sulfate is 20% elemental iron by weight while ferrous gluconate is around 12% elemental iron by weight.

What is elemental iron in ferrous sulfate?

Ferrous sulfate (Generally contains 20 to 30% elemental iron per mg ferrous sulfate salt but can vary by manufacturer)

Is it OK to take an iron supplement every day?

If you take iron supplements, do not take too much as this could be harmful. Taking 17mg or less a day of iron supplements is unlikely to cause any harm. But continue taking a higher dose if advised to by a GP.

What is non-elemental iron?

Non-elemental iron is the key part of Fex S x clusters and heme groups of many oxidoreductases. One of the most interesting groups of heme-containing redox enzymes is the Cyt P450 superfamily. These enzymes catalyze O 2 reduction directly to H 2 O in a monooxygenase reaction with a quite complicated mechanism (Eq. 5 ):

How to treat iron deficiency anemia?

Treatment of established iron deficiency anemia involves replacement of iron, usually by the oral administration of ferrous iron salts.

Why is iron added to cereal?

Iron is added as a supplement to baby and to adult cereals, and to wheat flour as a nutritional supplement. These sources of iron , and any contamination from equipment during processing, provide the main catalyst for lipid oxidation in cereal products. Infant cereals are usually fortified with iron because it is considered the major source of iron during the weaning period. Adult cereals are also often supplemented with iron for presumed “energy” and “health” effects. Unfortunately, the most bioavailable forms of iron are soluble iron compounds, such as ferrous sulfate or ferrous gluconate that also promote lipid oxidation and cause flavor deterioration when added to stored cereals. Many less soluble and less bioavailable forms of iron (elemental iron, ferric pyrophosphate and ferric orthophosphate) are used commercially for economic reasons, and because they are relatively less active as oxidation catalysts. The prooxidant activity of soluble ferrous sulfate can be inhibited by encapsulation with either hydrogenated vegetable oils or mono- and diglycerides. Various iron complexes have proven to be suitable sources of iron fortification, including ferrous fumarate and ferrous succinate (Table 11.26 ). These iron chelates are bioavailable and do not promote lipid oxidation during storage at 37°C for 3 to 6 months. For either economic or legal reasons, these forms of iron supplement are not commonly used in baby cereals.

How is iron treated?

Therapeutics. Iron deficiency is treated using various iron salts. Oral administration is the most common route for iron. It is critical that comparisons between agents be done using the same amount of elemental iron. Iron in the anhydrous form contains 32.5% elemental iron, whereas in the heptahydrate form, it contains 20% elemental iron.

How long does it take for iron to be absorbed?

Iron is best absorbed on an empty stomach. Although reticulocytes may begin to increase after 5-10 days of iron therapy, with an increase in hemoglobin values within 2-4 weeks, treatment should continue for 4-6 months to fully replenish iron stores Schrier (2003b).

What element is used as a reductant?

Eqs. (12.15) and (12.16) show the stoichiometry necessary to use elemental iron as a reductant and produce aquosols of Fe2 + (aq) in an acidic environment. These sols will subsequently react with phosphate anions H 2 PO 4 − or HPO 4 2 − and form the hydrophosphate bonding phases Fe (H 2 PO 4) 2 and FeHPO 4. The complete reactions are given by

What is Elemental Iron?

Elemental iron is the iron in a supplement that is readily absorbable. Your supplement should list the percentage of elemental iron right on the label for you so you don't have to calculate it yourself. Supplements have either ferrous or ferric iron, with ferrous having more elemental iron ready for absorption. Ferrous iron supplements with the most elemental iron come in ferrous fumarate, ferrous sulfate or ferrous gluconate forms. Ferrous fumarate has the highest percentage of elemental iron -- 33 percent -- while ferrous sulfate has 20 percent and ferrous gluconate offers 12 percent, reports the Office of Dietary Supplements.

Why is iron important?

Iron's primary function is carrying oxygen through your blood and delivering it to cells, tissues and all of your organs. You also need iron for healthy cells and several biochemical processes.

Which iron supplement has the most iron?

Supplements have either ferrous or ferric iron, with ferrous having more elemental iron ready for absorption. Ferrous iron supplements with the most elemental iron come in ferrous fumarate, ferrous sulfate or ferrous gluconate forms. Ferrous fumarate has the highest percentage of elemental iron -- 33 percent -- while ferrous sulfate has 20 percent ...

Answers

There is no difference - they are the same. Ferrous sulphate 300mg = 60mg elemental iron

Search for questions

Still looking for answers? Try searching for what you seek or ask your own question.

How to use Elemental Iron-90 Tablet, Extended Release

Take this medication by mouth, usually once daily or as directed. Follow all directions on the product package, or take as directed by your doctor. Do not take more than the recommended dosage. If you have any questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Are you currently using Elemental Iron-90 Tablet, Extended Release?

This survey is being conducted by the WebMD marketing sciences department.

Available coupons

Selected from data included with permission and copyrighted by First Databank, Inc. This copyrighted material has been downloaded from a licensed data provider and is not for distribution, except as may be authorized by the applicable terms of use.

What are the effects of iron deficiency?

Iron deficiency can also lead to poor concentration, a short attention span, and negative effects on children’s academic performance ( 4 ).

Why do women need more iron?

Women who menstruate need more iron. This is because blood contains about 70% of your body’s iron. At the beginning of the menstrual cycle, the body loses about 2 mg daily, as blood is shed from the lining of the uterus ( 3, 5, 6, 7 ).

How much iron should a teenager take?

Teenaged girls need more iron than boys their age — 15 mg daily. This is because they need to not only support growth but also compensate for iron lost through menstruation ( 5, 6, 7 ).

Why does iron overload happen?

It happens because your body cannot rid itself of its iron stores before being supplied with more from the blood transfusion.

How much iron should a woman take a day?

Between 19 and 50 years of age, women need 18 mg of iron per day. Female athletes have higher needs to account for the amount of iron lost to sweating.

What is the role of iron in oxygen transport?

Iron is a nutrient that plays a vital role in oxygen transport. It binds to hemoglobin, a special protein, and helps it carry red blood cells from your lungs to other tissues in your body ( 1#N#Trusted Source#N#).

How much iron should a toddler have?

Iron is crucial to proper brain development. As they age into toddlers, or between the ages of 1 and 3, your child’s iron needs are 7 mg daily. Then, from ages 4 to 8, boys and girls should get 10 mg of iron from their diet each day.

What is iron in food?

Iron is a mineral that is naturally present in many foods, added to some food products, and available as a dietary supplement. Iron is an essential component of hemoglobin, an erythrocyte (red blood cell) protein that transfers oxygen from the lungs to the tissues [ 1 ]. As a component of myoglobin, another protein that provides oxygen, iron supports muscle metabolism and healthy connective tissue [ 2 ]. Iron is also necessary for physical growth, neurological development, cellular functioning, and synthesis of some hormones [ 2, 3 ].

What are the two main forms of iron?

Dietary iron has two main forms: heme and nonheme [1]. Plants and iron-fortified foods contain nonheme iron only, whereas meat, seafood, and poultry contain both heme and nonheme iron [2]. Heme iron, which is formed when iron combines with protoporphyrin IX, contributes about 10% to 15% of total iron intakes in western populations [3-5].

What is the richest source of iron?

Food. The richest sources of heme iron in the diet include lean meat and seafood [ 19 ]. Dietary sources of nonheme iron include nuts, beans, vegetables, and fortified grain products. In the United States, about half of dietary iron comes from bread, cereal, and other grain products [ 2, 3, 5 ].

Why are infants at risk for iron deficiency?

Infants—especially those born preterm or with low birthweight or whose mothers have iron deficiency—are at risk of iron deficiency because of their high iron requirements due to their rapid growth [ 34, 45 ]. Full-term infants usually have sufficient iron stores and need little if any iron from external sources until they are 4 to 6 months old [ 2 ]. However, full-term infants have a risk of becoming iron deficient at 6 to 9 months unless they obtain adequate amounts of solid foods that are rich in bioavailable iron or iron-fortified formula.

What is the term for a depleted iron store?

Iron deficiency progresses from depletion of iron stores (mild iron deficiency), to iron-deficiency erythropoiesis (erythrocyte production), and finally to iron deficiency anemia (IDA) [8,9]. With iron-deficiency erythropoiesis (also known as marginal iron deficiency), iron stores are depleted and transferrin saturation declines, but hemoglobin levels are usually within the normal range. IDA is characterized by low hemoglobin concentrations, and decreases in hematocrit (the proportion of red blood cells in blood by volume) and mean corpuscular volume (a measure of erythrocyte size) [2,10].

Why is iron deficiency a risk factor for gastrointestinal disorders?

People with certain gastrointestinal disorders (such as celiac disease, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease) or who have undergone certain gastrointestinal surgical procedures (such as gastrectomy or intestinal resection) have an increased risk of iron deficiency because their disorder or surgery requires dietary restrictions or results in iron malabsorption or blood loss in the gastrointestinal tract [ 55-57 ]. The combination of low iron intake and high iron loss can lead to a negative iron balance; reduced production of hemoglobin; or microcytic, hypochromic anemia [ 58 ].

How much iron is in ferrous fumarate?

For example, ferrous fumarate is 33% elemental iron by weight, whereas ferrous sulfate is 20% and ferrous gluconate is 12% elemental iron [ 27 ]. Fortunately, elemental iron is listed in the Supplement Facts panel, so consumers do not need to calculate the amount of iron supplied by various forms of iron supplements.

How much iron is in 325 mg of iron?

The confusing part is that doctors will often tell their patients to take "325 milligrams of iron" when in fact, 325 milligrams of a ferrous sulfate supplement yields only 65 mg of elemental iron! This is because iron is just a component of the entire iron sulfate compound, FeSO4.

How much iron is in ferrous sulfate?

It most likely is 65 mg elemental iron (from 325 mg ferrous sulfate), but it's always a good idea to verify what they want. As we mentioned, there are multiple iron compounds available for supplementation over the counter, and they each yield different amounts of elemental iron. Below are some of the common forms and conversion to elemental iron: ...

How much iron is in Floradix?

There are multiple products of Floradix but the most common one contains 10 mg of elemental iron (from 83 mg ferrous gluconate). If your doctor wants you to take 65 mg of elemental iron (from 325 mg ferrous sulfate), you would need 6.5 servings of Floradix!

Can you take iron supplements with different amounts?

Now, often times practitioners are okay with their patients taking different forms of iron in different amounts, as long as they are supplementing with something. They can always get a blood test at a later time and see if their levels are in the normal range. In general, studies show that hemoglobin levels can rise to normal levels regardless ...

Does Floradix help with iron?

Floradix also has the benefit of containing vitamin C which has been shown the improve absorption of iron and therefore enhances the effect of the supplement.

Can you take iron over the counter?

Answer. Getting the right dose of iron from your supplements can be surprisingly tricky. Unfortunately, most available over the counter iron supplements are not available as simply elemental iron. Iron is most often available only in a compound form, of which there are many (e.g. Ferrous Sulfate) and they each yield different amount ...

What Is Nonheme Iron?

Nonheme iron is iron found in plant foods like green leafy vegetables, beans, and nuts. Nonheme iron is not combined with a heme protein, and this difference is the reason for the body’s reduced ability to absorb nonheme iron. Slower absorption allows you to eat more iron-rich plants without worrying about iron toxicity. [ 7]

How does heme iron get its name?

Heme iron gets its name from the heme protein attached to a lone iron atom. The “heme” in the blood protein hemoglobin refers to this protein-bound form of iron.

What are the disadvantages of nonheme iron?

Disadvantages of Nonheme Iron. Bioavailability is the main difference between heme and nonheme iron. [ 2] . Nonheme iron is absorbed at a lower rate than heme iron. However, in this case, its weakness is a strength in disguise. Nonheme iron poses a lower risk of causing iron toxicity, even when consumed in large amounts.

What is the best source of nonheme iron?

Plant-based food is the best source of nonheme iron. You can boost your iron intake by eating more iron-rich vegan foods like spinach, lentils, and pumpkin seeds. Also, taking with vitamin C can enhance the absorption of iron. [ 6] .

Where is heme iron found?

Heme iron is the type of iron found in blood and muscle. Present in animal foods like red meats, fish, and poultry, heme iron is a significant source of the absorbed iron in a typical western diet, though it only makes up about one-third of dietary iron. [ 1] . Heme iron gets its name from the heme protein attached to a lone iron atom.

Is nonheme iron better than animal iron?

Nonheme iron is the iron found in plants, and plant foods are inherently healthier than animal foods. Additionally, because nonheme iron is absorbed at a rate of 2% to 20%, toxic iron overload is less likely. Maintaining adequate levels of iron is a delicate balance. Your body is significantly better at moderating the absorption of nonheme iron.

Is heme iron a supplement?

Heme iron only exists in animal products or animal-based iron supplements. These heme iron supplements are available as powders, tablets, capsules, and even drinks. Heme iron-rich foods include oysters, beef liver, and sardines. [ 6]