Oral iron supplements usually start working in about 3 to 7 days. But your hemoglobin levels could take up to 2 months to return to normal. Common side effects of iron include constipation, nausea, and stomach pain. Taking your iron with food can help prevent an upset stomach.
Most people with iron deficiency have no symptoms, so taking iron pills may not result in any obvious changes to how they feel. A doctor can verify if the pills are working via a blood test. However, if a person does have anemia symptoms, they may notice they get better or go away entirely.
You also may feel grumpy, have headaches, and have trouble concentrating. Most people begin to feel normal after a few weeks of taking iron pills. But you need to take the pills for several months to build up the iron supply in your body. This can take up to 6 months.
It may take one to four weeks (after you start your iron supplement) before you start to feel better.
In general, patients with iron deficient anemia should manifest a response to iron with reticulocytosis in three to seven days, followed by an increase in hemoglobin in 2-4 weeks.
Left untreated, however, iron-deficiency anemia can make you feel tired and weak. You may notice pale skin and cold hands and feet. Iron-deficiency anemia can also cause you to feel dizzy or lightheaded. Occasionally, it can cause chest pain, a fast heartbeat and shortness of breath.
While there's little scientific evidence backing this claim up, weight gain from iron pills does happen 6. One study found that individuals with iron deficiency anemia complained of weight gain during their treatment, even though oral preparations of iron aren't known to cause weight gain as a side effect.
Oral iron supplements usually start working in about 3 to 7 days. But your hemoglobin levels could take up to 2 months to return to normal. Common side effects of iron include constipation, nausea, and stomach pain.
Iron is a key component in producing a protein in red blood cells that carry oxygen from your lungs to every cell in your body. Iron gives you energy because it allows your tissues, muscles and cells to receive and absorb oxygen.
You may also find that low iron causes weight gain. There are a couple of reasons for this; firstly, your energy levels are low and so your exercise levels reduce; secondly, iron is essential for thyroid function, and an underactive thyroid will lead to weight gain.
To reduce the risk of reflux, the person should not lie down for 30 to 60 minutes after taking the iron supplement.
Taking the supplement before bedtime also ensures increased iron absorption, as your stomach will most likely empty before bedtime. Eating your meal at least two hours earlier before sleep would help increase iron absorption.
However, too much iron is toxic. Excess iron gets deposited in your organs, and this then interferes with normal body functions, as well as the production of hormones that regulate your metabolism and sex drive. Not surprisingly, you don't feel well.
If you are not getting enough iron from your diet alone, an iron supplement can help your iron levels. An iron supplement that is working well should be easy to take with no side effects, and you should have a noticeable increase in your energy levels.
Specifically, iron plays an important role in how your body makes the neurotransmitters called serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine – all of them important in mental health. Research suggests a connection between low iron levels and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia, Levin and Gattari write.
Soy proteins can reduce absorption from plant sources. Tea, coffee and wine contain tannins that reduce iron absorption by binding to the iron and carrying it out of the body. Phytates and fibres found in wholegrains such as bran can reduce the absorption of iron and other minerals.
Extreme fatigue and exhaustion “Fatigue is one of the most common signs of iron deficiency because it means your body is having trouble carrying the oxygen to your cells so it's affecting your energy levels,” Thayer says. People lacking enough iron in their blood often feel sluggish, weak, and unable to focus.
Specifically, iron plays an important role in how your body makes the neurotransmitters called serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine – all of them important in mental health. Research suggests a connection between low iron levels and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia, Levin and Gattari write.
Your body needs iron to produce hemoglobin, the protein molecule in red blood cells that carries oxygen to every part of your body. When iron levels are low, your cells don't get the oxygen they need, which can leave you feeling tired.
Taking iron tablets can turn the stool a dark, almost black color (actually dark green). This is normal, and does not mean that the iron tablets are causing GI bleeding. Children are at particular risk of iron poisoning (overdose), making it very important to store iron tablets out of the reach of children.
Patients who ingest 20-60 mg/kg of elemental iron may develop nausea and vomiting but are at a low-risk for severe toxicity, while > 60 mg/kg is associated with a high-risk for severe toxicity and death.
As we've mentioned, low iron can impact your thyroid hormone and metabolism, so when you start absorbing more iron, these processes improve and your body's ability to burn calories will resume.
Iron is the one mineral that humans can't excrete, so the more iron that is consumed the greater the likelihood that leptin levels will drop, resulting in increased appetite and the potential to overeat.