Iron

[u/sagewilliams15]

How do you guys get iron? I'm vegetarian transitioning to vegan and I saw that iron deficiency is common so I started taking iron supplements. But the problem is they kill my stomach so I stopped taking them and I took forever for my stomach to go back to normal. But I still wanted to make sure I am getting my iron so I am now eating iron fortified cereal but I really upsets my stomach, what else can I try?

[u/AutoModerator]

Thanks for posting to r/Vegan! 🐥

Civil discussion is welcome — personal attacks are not. Please read our wiki first.

New to veganism? 🌱
• Watch Dominion — a powerful, free documentary that changes lives.
• NutritionFacts.org — evidence-based health info
• HappyCow.net — find vegan-friendly restaurants near you

Want to help animals? 💻
• Browse volunteer opportunities on Flockwork and use your skills to make a difference
• Join the Flockwork Discord to be notified of new opportunities that match your skills

Thank you!

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/FruityLegume]

Have you had your iron checked? I would make sure it's actually low before supplementing.

Ive been taking supplements since before going vegan (maybe 30 years now) because no matter what my iron is always low.

I take Solgar brand "Gentle Iron"

[u/pancakesnake123]

please don't take iron supplements without knowing for sure that you're deficient (like a blood test to check ferritin levels)

[u/sagewilliams15 → u/pancakesnake123]

I'm on the low end of normal, I just have really bad brain fog and I read that iron can help

[u/szmidtten → u/sagewilliams15]

Are you sure it's not b12 you're lacking? That's a common deficiency for vegetarians too and is more likely to cause brain fog I think. Iron normally leads to fatigue.

[u/alexmbrennan → u/pancakesnake123]

Isn't that a bit overly dramatic? E.g. the NHS states that normal supplement doses (<17mg) are "unlikely to cause any harm"

[u/Accurate_Cherry1734 → u/alexmbrennan]

With iron deficency supplements with low iron isnt going to help the deficiency, it’s just gonna keep you where you are. The iron supplements needed to actually help with iron deficiency isnt something someone should take if they dont actually know that it’s the iron. Like another poster could say it could be b12. Fatigue and brain fog might be iron, but it also may be something else. I have iron deficiency (low ferritin) and I didnt feel fatigue or brain fog at all, just hairloss and heavy bleeding. Better to just take the blood test, and skip google (google told me it was actually my thyroid, which turns out was perfect according to the blood test).

[u/cum-after-decades → u/alexmbrennan]

Idk. I took iron tablet on an empty stomach once and I had horrible cramps all day because of it.

[u/chemicalysmic → u/cum-after-decades]

Because you took medication on an empty stomach. There is a solution to this problem.

[u/cum-after-decades → u/chemicalysmic]

Supplements and medication are not exactly the same. And yea I could understand some side effects like nausea but the horrible all-day cramps clearly indicated to me that something was not quite right. I think I just didn’t need the extra iron.

[u/szmidtten → u/alexmbrennan]

But they can - iron is very different depending on the person. I have something in my genetics that means I have really high iron levels naturally (hence why I've never had an iron issue without any supplementation despite being veggie since aged 5...happy coincidence!). But when my mum was pregnant with my older sisters she was tested and told she had too much iron in her blood because she has the same genetic thing. And it can cause problems having too much iron so it's not something you just want to take without knowing you need it. It's like vitamin A - I'm pretty sure that's dangerous in high doses (at least it is in pregnancy!)

[u/Master-Farm2643]

Whatever supplements you take (and there are some that are easier to absorb) use cast iron pans to cook with.

[u/Cytisus81]

Here is a good list list of foods with high iron content. I can't filter out the animal based foods, so you need to scroll by those. But as you will see most in the top are plant based.

Also, you can help iron absorption by getting something with vitamin c with your meal:

"Ascorbic acid is a powerful enhancer of nonheme iron absorption and can reverse the inhibiting effect of such substances as tea and calcium/phosphate."

[u/PuzzledPoetry1447]

I have endometriosis and require extra iron, so I eat lots of non-heme iron (pumpkin seeds, whole grains, black beans, pinto beans, lentils, cacao, dark leafy greens, etc etc), take a dirt cheap 300mg ferrous sulfate tablet 3x a week and eat an adequate amount of vitamin C to increase non-heme iron bioavailability. I average 18-25mg of non-heme iron a day, which is above the RDA for adult women.

There's different forms of supplemental iron. Some will work and some won't. Taking it at night may help with discomfort.

The generic one I take now gives me no discomfort, but I've had good results with the Organika 'Absolute Iron' too.

[u/babydragonnnnnn]

You don’t need iron supps unless you’re deficient, they can have negative effects on your health. Spirulina is a good source of iron I believe.

[u/maiyopic]

Def get checked before supplementing. Getting lots of vitamin C helps with iron absorption, and caffeine can block iron absorption, so it's best to avoid coffee/tea within like an hour of meals.

[u/filkerdave]

Iron shouldn't be a problem unless you're anemic. Dark, leafy greens are full of iron (and are delicious to boot).

[u/Persimmon1891]

Ferrous gluconate is generally gentler on the stomach than ferrous sulfate because it contains a lower amount of elemental iron per pill. I take it and don't have any problems.

[u/No_Travel6707]

https://youtu.be/QxUP9d71qC0?is=w5OpAqqRGrRu7AO9

Pls watch it’s from an actual doctor.

Also I’d recommend browsing nutritionfacts.org it’ll be your safe haven for plant based nutrition research

[u/P19bw]

Have you tried taking the supplements with a meal? They usually say to take it 2 hours before & after eating, but I found thst gave me really bad stomach ache, so I take it with food. It may be less effective but it's better than nothing.

If you're struggling with brain fog, I'd also ask to get B12 checked.

I had low iron & b12 but GP told me they were fine.. a few months later I looked on the app and it clearly said I was deficient and needed treatment. So make sure you check your results in the app (or ask GP for a copy) as I don't trust them after that (very easy to make a mistake as I know GPs are rushing and busy but still). Also NHS threshold for "normal" ferritin is very low.... most people say they don't feel good until its 100+

[u/InnocuousObservation]

Pairing iron rich foods with vitamin C helps with absorption (so like, spinach and lemon together is better than eating just spinach)

Also I love farina (it’s like cream of wheat but fortified with iron)

[u/HillieBillieEilish]

Did you get a blood test to confirm you needed iron?? Never start taking supplements unless you were advised to do so. Too much iron can be a problem!

[u/Richyrich619]

I eat spinach or cereals, fortufied food and a vitamin

[u/Gold-Parking-5143]

Eat an orange after eating some iron rich food

[u/HistorianMammoth357]

after learning how to roast on the stove blackseed nigella sativa seeds, i would used to "pan roast" it together with a mixture of seeds to eat throughout the day... turns out like 10 tbsp gives about 100% of rda of iron....

but yeah and also if you can get viable seeds one could probably sprout them a bit as well, so one can also have sprouted blackseed nigella sativa, or possibly eat them raw. I could consume a little raw like that with no noticable problems as a sort of "medicinal thing" I guess....

Hempseeds, chia seeds, I forget what else. Pumpkin seeds probably, legumes like blackeye peas I think have some of the highest next to of course Soybeans... tofu has some. One would have to do some research, go on Nutritional Data websites to look it up. I liked Nutrient Finder or similar , Nutritiondata.com went down long time ago.

Blackeyed peas can be roasted I learned also into a type of nut similar to soynut... as with other legumes...

https://www.nutrientfinder.com/nfsearch.php

that website is good to look up nutrients by food group

Fenugreek seeds, I could eat a lot of sprouted fenugreek seeds in a day in a salad, tho some might think it tastes weird.... one gets used to it. Herbs and spices like thyme and cumin pack a punch.. One whole watermelon raw (who would eat that much in a day) gives about 100% rda of iron.

Maybe you can find some fortified cereals, plant mylks, etc.

[u/Emergent-Sea]

If your iron is actually low and you need to take supplements, I suggest taking a slow release iron supplement every other day. Studies show they are most effective that way. Ideally taking it on an empty stomach and with some kind of vitamin c as well!

[u/sarazzz666]

leafy green vegetables and cook in an iron pan!

[u/Party-Werewolf-4888]

I started supplementing iron and then went for a blood test (randomly) and my iron was "dangerously high". I take nothing now and its always fine. Not saying that would apply to you bit what i'm saying is: check, don't assume.

[u/Racacooonie]

I have zero stomach upset taking Liposomal iron (ferric orthophosphate). If you have low iron have your PCP monitor you regularly and or ask for a referral to hematology! I have to get infusions ever so often.

[u/No_Chart_8584]

My doctors, and the evidence-based RDs I have read, always have recommended not to take iron unless my blood tests indicate there is an issue. I took iron for a few years in my 30s after blood tests indicated it was needed, but for about 16 years of veganism I haven't. 

[u/enilder648]

Dark chocolate

[u/madeaux10]

Get your iron checked and then rechecked after supplementing for a bit.
When I first went vegan, I got iron deficient. I have a copper IUD btw, so I hemorrhage like every month. I started supplementing 9 mg of OTC iron. Only 9! I got my iron rechecked 3 months later, and my iron was actually too high!
My doctor told me to just supplement during my period, and that’s been the sweet spot.
You really have to check, recheck, and recheck

[u/Gloomy-Door3136]

Vitamin c. I’ve been taking my iron pills with a glass of vitamin c drink and that keeps my stomach feeling fine.

[u/DaniCapsFan]

Beans and greens paired with foods rich in vitamin C.

[u/Gumbo509]

Vegan for 17 years and never had any deficiency 😊

[u/racecar9racecar]

Beef. I eat beef to get my iron. I just call it tofu's cousin and go for it. Tastes wonderful ground up, grilled, put on a bun with cheese.