need to take 325 mg of iron!?

[jemar]

My doctor just told me I'm to take 325 mg of iron a day for 8 weeks. My "Transferrin Saturation" is 13%. Normal range is 15-50%. My "Total Iron" is 47 mcg/dL. Normal range is 40-175 mcg/dL.

I have heavy periods which have improved lately but it is still hard for me to get my iron up. Any supplement suggestions? Floradix and other iron supplements from Whole Foods don't provide enough iron. I was taking Vitanica Iron Extra but that isn't working it seems.

I don't eat beef or liver.

[1love4ever]

Well, green vegetables such as broccoli and spinach have iron in them.  But I am not sure about supps.  I stick with only taking and recommending whole foods based supps.

[abelitz]

Wow, that does sound like a lot!!

Well, keep in mind that the ferrous gluconate in Floradix is much more readily absorbed than other forms of supplemental iron.  With all supplements, not how much of a vitamin/mineral is in the product, but how well it is utilized by your body that's the key.  With many non-food based supplements, the amount of "active ingredient" in the supplement is much higher than one sees in a food-based supplement to make up for how much of the ingredient is simply excreted, not used because it's not in a form the body readily uses, etc.

With my current pregnancy, my iron was low (hemoglobin down to 9.7.  Normal is ~14).  In one month on Floradix, my hemoglobin rose to 11.1, much to my doctor's approval.  I'm not trying to push Floradix by any means, I'm just sayin' :)  The small amount of time I was on an iron supplement from the pharmacy was awful...threw my entire digestive process all out of whack. 

Lots of herbalists and midwives recommend liquid chlorophyll to build the blood.  I will be trying this soon, but as of yet don't have any direct experience.  As far as herbs go, yellow dock, alfalfa, dandelion, nettles and red raspberry leaf teas (or tictures) are good sources of plant-based iron (and lots of other good minerals), too.  These would be most helpful taken as daily tonics to help improve and maintain iron levels over time.  In addition to leafy greens, beets are a good food iron source.  Coffee and black tea can also deplete iron levels, as can not eating enough high-quality protein.

I hope this is helpful and hope you feel better soon!