Floradix vs. typical iron pills

[2sweetboysmom]

Is there a ratio accounting for the better uptake of Floradix?
Saw OB today. They want me on supplemental iron for the duration of the pregnancy. My iron is lowish 11.0 now (my usual for this point in pregnancy) and I hemorrhaged to the point of transfusion twice last year with my losses.
My prescription is for 325mg of iron daily. I have always just taken Floradix before...but it is 20mg/day. I know the uptake on Floridax is vastly better. How much better? In other words how much Floradax do you think I need to get a rough equivalent to the 325mg of traditional iron pills? I already am careful about eating iron foods/taking iron separate from calcium stuffs.
Many thanks.

[evjolin]

hmmm, i dont know that answer to your question, but i can give you the nutritional info from the back of my bottle of floradix.

it says that 2tsp/10ml contains 10mg or 56% DV of iron (elemental) from ferrous gluconate.

i tested at 10 at 26 weeks, and am getting re tested at 36 wks. mw just told me to take 20ml per day, so i'm assuming that would be enough for you too. esp. if you are also taking a multi that contains iron?

one thing i have learned is that calcium is bad for iron absorption and vitamin c is good....so i try to take with juice and i avoid calcium with the meal i take it with/

[princesspower]

I wish I could answer the question you have about uptake for you but I don't know, sorry. What I can tell you is that I have been taking Floradix and I have felt a tremendous improvement in my energy level. I am a vegan and just was sensing that my iron levels were dipping due to food aversions and nausea. I tried incorporating high iron foods such as figs, apricots, beans and artichokes and felt slightly better but it is hard to eat enough of these foods every day. I was scared of iron supplementation because I did not want to experience the dreaded side effect on constipation so I decided to try the floradix after hearing good things. Since taking it (about a month now) I can really feel a difference and have a lot better energy and overall well being. I am thankful I trusted my body and listened when I felt I needed the Iron because pregnancy can be challenging enough without worrying iron levels.

As far as determining your dosage I would just calculate the rda% of the 325mg of traditional iron pills which is 361%. If one dose of floradix is 2tsp and 56% of rda therefore it would take 6.45 doses or 13 tsp of floradix. This sounds logical however it seems like a lot of floradix to me. I would review this with your OB or Midwife before taking this much.
Good luck!

[birthluv725]

Ferrous sulfate is the form of iron you want to watch out for...causes constipation. When my midwife suspected I was low in iron she recommended a tincture of dandelion root, nettle leaf, and yellow dock. All are really nutrative herbs. I don't know what exactly is in floradix, I'd be interested to see if those were. Anyway, good luck!

[2sweetboysmom]

The herbs are African mallow blossoms, chamomile flowers, fennel, spinach, and rosehip extract.

Ferrous gluconate(like Floradix) is the most readily absorbed form of iron supplimentation, (17-25%)
Ferrous sulfate is only absorbed at a rate of 12-16%.

I think I am going to take a double daily dose of the Floradix for 2 weeks to jump-start things, and then the normal 20ml/day dose through postpartum.

[at_the_hip]

I have had previous PPH and low iron stores...my mw always recommended twice the regular dose of Floradix. So 20ml two times a day. Taking with calcium or calcium-rich foods can block absorption!

[elf_babykins]

I'd definitely stick with a regimen of floradix over pills. Last pregnancy I tried a combo of food, pills and even the yellow dock and dandelion and still never hit a normal iron level. I tried floradix this go round and improved my numbers every week!! So for me, anyway, floradix is the only thing that really made a difference in my iron levels (and energy!)