Here are a couple of comments from my last post on ”Sarah Eats” and Sarah’s comments follow:
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dave ciaverella – September 6, 2007[Edit]
Nice counter
Remember, dietary Iron is only about 10-20% absorbed, so divide the mg iron by 5 or so to estimate the amount actually absorbing.
This is why I take 1 supplement of Iron per day, 18 mg. Ferrous Gluconate has been shown to have the best absorption over ferrous sulfate, and other varieties.
Dave,
It is my understanding that If you meet the Recomended Daily Allowance (RDA) for iron you should not need to take a supplement. All RDAS’s already account for the different absorbtion levels. Its calculated based on our ability to absorbe that 10-20%. Just a though!!!
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Sarah says: Here’s what I know.
Iron absorbtion varies so much from person to person that there was no way to pinpoint it down for RDA guidelines. So they made an amount sufficient for regular joes across the nation on assumption of your lowest absorbtion rates possible over long period of time. This number is supposed to be high enough that if your not absorbing all you need to get each day, over long periods of time if you ingest this amount of iron your body will keep its reserves at the 300mg it needs to not become anemic. When your body is low on iron you absorb more as well as the opposite is true. So many other things effect the absorbtion. So you may only be absorbing only 3-6% (this is the worst case scenario of absorbtion-normally its closer to 10%) of 15mg, but that is ok for good health over time. They say for men you really only need to absorb 1.5mg/day and for women its 1.5 to 2.2mg (due to menstruation). But they set the RDA higher than this to insure your getting enough,that is if your an average Joe. So if your ingesting say, 30mg from your diet as an endurance athlete and you don’t mix your iron rich foods with caffienated beverages or calcium, and do eat vita c with iron rich foods-then your getting enough. With a 3% absorbtion rate that would still get you a minimum of 1mg of iron per day. Ferrous Gluconate is avail with prescription only I believe?
disclosure: Sarah nor I are nutritionists or medical professionals. She just loves to read about this stuff.
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Dave, Sony, or anyone have more thoughts on this?
4 responses so far ↓
Sony Gawley // September 9, 2007 at 11:54 am |
Sarah,
I think you hot the nail right on the head.
Thanks.
Sony Gawley // September 9, 2007 at 11:55 am |
Hit .. not hot . Sorry
dave ciaverella // September 10, 2007 at 4:38 am |
Still, low grade, microcytic anemia secondary to Iron deficiency is one of the primary causes of chronic fatigue and over training syndrome in female athletes. Taking a single 18 mg supplement of iron will not harm a female athlete, and most cases will only help. With a balanced diet, there is no need to take more than this. Hemosiderosis secondary to excess iron is rare, and typically not a problem in females, esp. athletes, but it still an identifiable risk, moreso in men.
I take multi’s daily, but I dont over do it. Supplements are not ergogenics, not matter how much the marketing of products attempts to stretch the truth. However, I am a firm believer in making certain that I always keep the “tank full” when it comes to the RDA of all supplements. Taking a few simple supplements, in addition to a balanced diet (any one who knows me realizes I am fantatical on nutrition), is the best way to maintain high levels of all needed vitamins/minerals/trace elements on an ongoing, daily basis.
Getting your daily nutrition in food is great and of course the optimum, but certainly adding supplements will not harm. Of course, eating poorly and depending on supplements to fill the gaps is a poor strategy in daily nutrition.
dave ciaverella // September 10, 2007 at 4:40 am |
I take ferrous Gluconate. I bought it for 5.99 over the counter. It’s readily available.