- Iron supplements for blood donors
- Oral iron supplements
- The truth about iron supplements and constipation
- Iron supplements for athletes
- The best iron supplements for vegetarians
- The best iron supplement for sensitive stomach
- Benefits of iron for your immune system
- How to take iron supplements for best absorption?
- What does iron saturation mean?
- What is the function of iron in our bodies?
- Iron supplement side effects
- How much iron per day for a woman?
IRON SUPPLEMENTS FOR SENSITIVE STOMACHS
If you suffer from a sensitive stomach it is often a challenge to find iron supplements that do not upset your stomach. It is important to find the right iron supplements and formats that work that provide the best iron absorption for sensitive stomachs.
Here we will break down types of iron supplements and what you need to know when finding the best supplement for your sensitive stomach. We will cover:
- The different types of iron supplements you can take
- The benefits of oral iron supplements
- What are liquid iron supplements?
- Why do some iron supplements upset your stomach?
- Which iron supplements are gentle on your stomach
- What makes Active Iron gentle on your stomach
- How to make sure iron supplements don’t upset your stomach
Types of iron supplements
There are several different ways to increase your iron intake through supplementation. Traditionally there is:
- Low dose oral iron – available over the counter
- High dose oral iron – prescription only
- Intravenous infusion – undertaken in hospital whilst being monitored.
The type of iron you are recommended to take will depend on any symptoms you experience, taking into account your diet and/or blood test results. There is not necessarily the same fix for everyone. Low iron is common, with 1 in 4 women having low iron¹
Oral iron supplements
If your blood test results reveal you have low iron often a very high dose of iron will be prescribed orally to quickly balance out your levels. However, this can be quite harsh on your stomach and isn’t always well absorbed, causing some unpleasant side effects.
This results in up to 50% of people stopping taking their prescribed high dose iron supplements². These side effects commonly include:
- Nausea
- Stomach Cramps
- Constipation
- Diarrhoea
- Black Stools
If the dose is lower you are less likely to experience symptoms, yet very low doses may not replenish levels adequately or quickly enough.
It is important to find an iron supplement that works well with sensitive stomachs and releases iron into your body whilst minimising the side effects.
Active Iron is an iron supplement that is clinically proven to increase iron levels by up to 94%³.
Active Iron is gentle on the stomach, helping to avoid gut irritation.
Liquid iron supplements
One option for people with sensitive stomachs is liquid iron supplements. The liquid format is targeted to release iron quickly into your body but often these doses are very low ranging from 2mg – 10mg, however the recommended daily intake is 14mg.
Some of the side effects of taking liquid iron supplements include teeth staining, a horrible metallic taste that’s difficult to overcome, a burning sensation in the oesophagus diarrhoea and nausea.
Unlike liquid iron supplements, Active Iron is designed to target the body’s site of iron absorption where it is best absorbed, while still reducing the likelihood of side effects. That’s why it is one of the best iron supplements for sensitive stomachs.
Why do some iron supplements upset your stomach?
Many iron supplements upset your stomach because they oxidise in the gut and as a result are poorly absorbed (typically just 10% is absorbed).
It is this oxidation and poor absorption that causes gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea and constipation in 8/10 people⁴.
The higher dose of iron in supplements, the more likely symptoms are to present. It is really important to find a high quality supplement that does not cause these side effects and discomfort.
Active Iron offers a great solution to help avoid gut irritation from iron. Unlike other oral iron it’s whey protein formula protects the iron from oxidation allowing for better absorption⁵ of iron sulfate.
How to take iron supplements and not upset your stomach
Often traditional iron supplements come with advice on how to take them in the best way to not upset your stomach.
Taking your iron supplement with fruit juice can help to increase the absorption of iron from the supplements
Taking your iron supplements alongside food and not on an empty stomach will help to reduce some of the negative side effects, making the iron easier to absorb
Usually if you do take supplements on an empty stomach it can really upset your stomach.
Active Iron was created to avoid this need and make it easier to take iron supplements at any time of day.
Iron supplements that are easy on your stomach
Traditionally iron supplements were very harsh on the stomach and caused many stomach complaints which then resulted in lapsed usage.
Sometimes the symptoms of supplementation are worse than those of low iron, so many people choose to avoid the symptoms that come with taking high dose iron and opt to live with low iron levels instead. This can cause fatigue, weakness, breathlessness to name a few.
To mitigate this, liquid iron supplements were introduced and were offered as a better alternative for those with sensitive stomachs and difficulty completing prescription recommendations.
However liquid iron has its own issues and is not as well absorbed. It can have side effects in addition to those commonly found with traditional iron supplements, and it can also stain your teeth, which obviously you want to avoid!
Active Iron was created to solve the issues of oral iron supplements and give users the boost of iron they need whilst helping to avoid the uncomfortable side effects. Active Iron is less likely to cause stomach upset than traditional iron supplements, and delivers the right amount of iron needed.
An iron supplement for sensitive stomachs – Active Iron
Active Iron’s iron supplements are designed for sensitive stomachs to help prevent side effects, e.g. feeling sick, nauseated, constipated.
Active Iron’s ground-breaking protein formula targets the body’s natural site of iron absorption, the DMT-1.
This helps to increase the amount of iron absorbed. As a result, Active Iron is less likely to cause gut irritation compared to other iron supplements and has been clinically proven to increase iron levels by 94%³. These results remain the same regardless of dosage of Active Iron, unlike many other iron supplements where a higher dose means more side effects. Participants also reported higher energy levels and reduction in tiredness and fatigue.
Where to buy iron supplements that are easy on your stomach?
As mentioned, the best option for sensitive stomachs is Active Iron and it is important to maintain a healthy iron level, especially in women where low iron levels are common.
In Ireland
For anyone in Ireland it is easy to get your hands on Active Iron, it is stocked in most pharmacies, as well as in Holland & Barrett, and Active Iron is also available direct from the Active Iron website.
In the UK
Similar in the UK, most pharmacies such as Lloyds Pharmacy and Boots stock Active Iron, you can also order directly from the Active Iron website.
How to make sure iron supplements don’t upset your stomach
The answer is simple, buy Active iron.
Active Iron is the only iron supplement that is clinically proven to be 2X better absorbed⁵, increase iron stores by 94% and help avoid gut irritation³. In fact, Active Iron is so gentle that you can take it on an empty stomach.
Gone are the days where you need to worry about an upset stomach when taking iron supplements!
Active Iron Advance
Active Iron Advance is clinically proven to increase iron levels and support haemoglobin formation. Containing 25mg of iron, Active Iron’s unique formulation makes better absorbed than other oral irons on the market, while still being gentle on the stomach.
Active Iron Advance Review
“Very good iron capsules – I normally have a very upset stomach when I take the iron tablets given by my Doctor. I bought these and I am doing very well on them. Many thanks” – Jane Laffan
Active Iron
Active Iron is clinically proven to increase iron levels and support haemoglobin formation. Containing 14mg of iron, the recommended daily of iron for a healthy adult, Active Iron’s unique formulation makes better absorbed than other oral irons on the market, while still being gentle on the stomach.
Active Iron Review
“I discovered I was low in Iron after trying to donate blood,so I bought this product and I noticed. After a couple of weeks how much more energy I had,I’m a runner and have found I can keep going for so many more miles due to the oxygen circulating my body due to more haemoglobin… I’ve now been taking for 6 weeks and feel so much better and no constipation which other Iron products can cause…I also sleep much better🏃🏻♂️😊” -Freddy
Active Iron Women
Active Iron for Women contains 17mg of non-constipating Active Iron, alongside a multivitamin specially formulated for women’s health.
Active Iron for Women Review
“Easy to swallow, keep my iron levels boosted and at the right level, important for a perimenopausal woman whose levels can get depleted at certain times of the month.” -Sandra B
Active Iron Men
Active Iron for Men contains 14mg of Active Iron, which is specially formulated to be gentle on the stomach, alongside a multivitamin designed with men’s health in mind.
Active Iron for Men Review
“I was so impressed with Active Iron for women that I bought the men’s version for my husband. With his busy lifestyle and minimal fruit and veg intake, I felt he would benefit from these supplements. Since taking them he says he feels more energised and we like the fact that they booster the immune system, especially needed at this time of year!” -MrsV
Iron Supplements for sensitive stomachs – FAQs:
Why is Active Iron the best supplement for sensitive stomachs?
Active Iron is the best supplement for sensitive stomachs as its non-constipating formula is clinically proven to help avoid gut irritation. Active Iron is gentle enough to take on an empty stomach.
What is the best iron supplement for avoiding constipation?
Active Iron is the best iron supplement for avoiding constipation as it is clinically proven to help avoid common gastrointestinal side effects, including constipation.
Can you recommend an iron supplement that doesn’t cause nausea?
We recommend Active Iron as the best iron supplement to avoid nausea as it is clinically proven to help avoid common iron side effects such as nausea.
What is the best liquid iron supplement for sensitive stomach?
Most liquid iron supplements contain a much lower dose of iron which is why they can avoid these common side effects. Although this is a great benefit, they often do not provide sufficient iron to increase iron levels with some only containing 5mg iron per serving.
Active Iron offers a great solution for those looking for an iron supplement suitable for a sensitive stomach. Active Iron is clinically proven to increase iron levels by 94% and is gentle on the stomach, helping to prevent side effects such as nausea and constipation.
Are Active Iron’s supplements easy on your stomach?
Yes, Active Iron is clinically proven to cause less gut irritation compared to other iron supplements, making it easy on your stomach.
What is the best iron supplement for IBS?
If you suffer with IBS it is important to check the ingredients and formulation of iron supplements. Active Iron may be the best iron supplement for IBS as it helps prevent gastrointestinal side effects such as constipation and diarrhoea, which are common IBS symptoms.
¹NICE. Anaemia – iron deficiency. September 2018
²Tolkien et al. PLoS ONE 2015; 10(2): e0117383. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.01173832015.
³Ledwidge et al. 2021, Data on file. doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.09.01.21262983
⁴Pereira D et al BMC Gastroenterol 2014 Jun 4;14:103. doi: 10.1186/1471-230X-14-103
⁵Wang et al. 2017, Acta Haematologica, 138: 223-232.