Reddit mentions: The best iron mineral supplements

I'm sorry you're having such a tough time! Learning about eating well can be really overwhelming. I've struggled with gaining weight at times too, so I can relate. I agree with some of the recommendations that have been posted so far (more frequent small meals, grains, bars, multivitamins).

My suggestions:

• Try to consume high-calorie foods. IMO, the most convenient sources of calories are foods like bananas (a fast way to get 100 kcal), avocados (if you can afford them, lol), dried fruit, dark chocolate - 250 kcal per serving, 225 kcal per serving, granola, rice, quinoa, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. If you can find a trail mix with nuts, dried fruit, and dark chocolate, that’s a great way to get in some calories!
  
  
• Eat healthy fats! Good sources of calories include nuts (especially almonds, macadamia nuts, and walnuts), nut butters (peanut butter, almond butter, etc.), and oils (olive oil, coconut oil). Honestly, one thing I've done before is to buy some coconut oil and eat a spoonful at a time (15ml has 123 kcal!). It doesn't taste like anything, so it's easy to eat, and it's a super-fast way to get calories.
  
  
• You mentioned trying but not being able to tolerate Ensure. I highly recommend other forms of liquid calories, such as protein shakes or pre-made smoothies. These are some I like:
  
  • Naked Juice smoothies - these contain good-for-you ingredients, and some of them are good sources of protein, too. They're high in sugar, but all of the sugar comes from the fruit (plus it sounds like you need sugar).
    
  • Innocent smoothies
    
  • Orgain protein shakes: These are pre-made (ready to drink) and have 140 kcal + 20g of protein. You can also get Orgain in powder form, which is probably more cost-effective, but less convenient.
    
  • Sunwarrior rice protein powder is dairy-free and vegan. It has less calories than the Orgain (80 kcal + 16g of protein per serving), but it's less expensive.
    
  • If you decide to try a protein powder, I recommend getting a shaker bottle like this one - they make it so much easier to mix up protein shakes.
    
    
• Definitely try some protein/snack bars, as /u/allycat-alison mentioned. I like Larabars, Luna/Clif bars, and Kind bars.
  
  
• Your energy is probably low for many reasons (not sleeping because of stress, feeling depressed, not eating enough/low blood sugar) - another reason may be having low iron. You could try an iron supplement and see if that helps. Another potential source of low energy is depleted B vitamins, so a B-complex supplement could also be beneficial. This is a multivitamin I found that’s a good source of B vitamins, vitamin D (also related to energy), AND iron. It also contains vitamin C, which helps your body absorb the iron.
  
  
• I know you said you didn’t want your family to find out (and unfortunately, keeping all of this to yourself is even more stressful!). I'm not going to advise you to talk to them, because I don’t know your situation. BUT, your family shouldn't get suspicious if they were to find out you had a physical - a physical is a standard thing that everyone should have regularly, IMO. I think it would be really helpful for you to have one, because your doctor can order bloodwork (again, totally standard/understandable/nothing that should raise eyebrows) and find out if there's anything contributing to your situation, like anemia or low thyroid function.
  
  
• Does your uni have a student health center/offer counseling? I'm in the U.S., and many here do. It's usually included in your tuition, and it's anonymous, so no one would have to know. I would go by your health center and see if they have any nutrition and/or counseling services, because it sounds like you don’t have anyone to talk to, and you should!!
  
  
• Lastly, remember that tobacco is proven to reduce appetite, so if you can, please try to take your friends' help with quitting tobacco. You could also try cessation products like nicotine gum, lozenges, or the patch. Did marijuana not help your appetite? I almost always get the munchies!

Do you mean your TSH was 80.56? Or T4 was 80.56?

TSH is Thyroid Stimulating Hormone. It is released by the pituitary gland to tell the thyroid to release more thyroid hormones. If TSH is high, that is like your pituitary glad screaming at your unresponsive thyroid, so no surprise that your thyroid hormone levels were also low. That usually indicates that you need to increase your dose.

I have Hashi's and I take 146 ish mg of NatureThroid along with Hyperbiotics PRO-15 Advanced probiotics, B-complex with coenzymes, Iron, Magnesium, Omega 3-6-9, Selenium and D3-5000IU. I have tried to reduce the number of supplements I take but they all help. I sometimes take Zinc as well. I quit coffee and take caffeine pills instead and I am (not super strictly, but working on it) gluten and soy free.

The first time I took Nature Throid after switching from generic levothyroxine all of my symptoms were about 80% GONE. We increased my dose from 1/4 grain to the current 2+1/4 grain over the course of maybe 6 months.

What really fixed things for me was going gluten and soy free and adding magnesium and selenium. The selenium reduced my antibodies from nearly 500 to 100 in six months. That alone made a huge difference. And going gluten/soy free allowed me to lose 20 lbs in a month and then maintain it pretty easily just logging my calories.

Occasionally, due to poor planning, I eat regular bread or some pizza and I am sapped of energy and achy for a week afterwards. I'm working on getting into the habit of always having gluten free options on hand. But generally speaking, I feel better than I've felt my entire life.

I've never heard of having an immune response to desiccated thyroid. I've done very well on Nature Throid. You may want to get labs done every 6 weeks to check your levels and adjust your dose as needed.

I was told I've got low iron and I should start taking iron twice a day. I did a lot of research and found this one:

Salus-Haus - Floradix Floravital Iron & Herbs Yeast Free - 8.5 oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00028Q1ZI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_SUY78HwWjicX8

It has great reviews on r/babybumps and I figured it was worth a try. It's been seriously great! It tastes a bit gross, but if you chase it with orange juice (make sure it's not fortified with calcium) you can't taste it. Also vitamin C helps the body absorb iron. I feel freaking fantastic about 30 minutes after taking a dose, like, my heart rate and blood pressure go down, I have tons of energy, I don't feel sick at all. It's been great. And so far, no constipation, no upset tummy. When I went to my next appointment after being told to start iron, my midwife recommended this too, and said you either order it on Amazon or find it in health food stores. Sure said that is the best one she's ever seen, because it's so gentle.

Sorry for that word dump, I just recently went through this. I know the hard to breath feeling sucks a lot.

Oh hey, something I can speak to! Got my RNY in 2010, so just about as long ago as you. Current 35.5 weeks. My pouch has stretched and I'm still overweight, but like you, still eat about half a restaurant portion.

I'm pretty chronically anemic and will frequently show up as D-deficient. Since getting pregnant, I've been taking: prenatals, one 65mg iron + C (I seriously recommend this one because it's a big dose, and it doesn't make me sick like a lot of the others), 1 vitamin D, 1 B12. Pregnancy has made me more religious about taking those daily, and I think with the addition of the prenatal on top of my old routine, everything's great now with my levels.

I have a pretty sensitive stomach. Too much sugar makes me throw up and then fall asleep. Misery. Ftr, if that's an issue for you, let your doctor know. The glucose drink that they give pregnant women to diagnose GD makes most women pretty nauseated, but with GB, I sincerely doubt you'll be able to do it at all. I skipped it and had to do regular 4x daily diabetic finger sticks instead.

Anyway, I've thrown up maybe five times throughout pregnancy. A few times early thanks to morning sickness. And a couple times later thanks to baby getting big and moving in on my stomach. Sometimes I'll eat a reasonably sized portion, and then the baby shifts and suddenly my stomach is smaller and overfilled and I feel like throwing up. At times it can feel like the post-surgery pouch all over again. My morning sickness mostly came in the form of nausea that didn't let me eat. I ate very little during my first trimester because I just couldn't. The thought of eating made me sick. I had almost no energy, partially from the usual first trimester "you're literally burning all your calories to build a new brain" exhaustion, and partially because I was an overweight woman eating like 500 calories a day. I lost 20 pounds. My doctors were completely not worried about it because as long as you're not underweight, the baby takes what they need. At 35 weeks, I've gained about 18 pounds of that back, putting me at -2 pounds since my pregnancy test. My morning sickness started around 7-8 weeks and lasted until 14-15. I'd say that if you can avoid vacations in the first trimester, do so. Even if not for the morning sickness, then for the sheer exhaustion.

I know my diet isn’t amazing so I typically take a multi vitamin, iron supplement, vegan omega 3 supplement, vegan D3 supplement, and biotin (for non health related reasons).

Edit -
I can’t remember what my multivitamin is but here’s the other ones. I got them all off amazon

Iron:

EZ Melts Iron as Elemental Iron, 18 mg, Sublingual Vitamins, Vegan, Zero Sugar, Natural Orange Flavor, 90 Fast Dissolve Tablets https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NV5UTM0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_C3TOCb242PB9R

Omega 3:

Vegan Omega 3 Supplement - Marine Algal Source of EPA & DHA Fatty Acids - For Joint Support & Immune System - Heart & Skin + Brain Health Booster - Fish Oil Free Formula for Men & Women - 120 Softgels https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074N5JZK8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_F4TOCbVZHCSKH

D3:

Natures Plus Source of Life... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0042DDP44?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Thank you for your responses, I appreciate your continued explanation.

I've endured a long and difficult relationship with psychoactives. I first took DXM 7 years ago, and I have since run the gamut. Drug combinations, dosing methods, kitchen extractions, you name it-- I've done it. In other words, learned the hard way. I think this may be why I have such reverence for your approach. I am humbled by your thoughtfulness.

Note: this post is very, very long.

My method:

Preparation begins several days in advance. Like you, I have obligations that necessitate some schedule-shuffling. In many ways, this makes the experience feel more like a vacation; it's a special occasion, so I treat it like a holiday.

I abstain from alcohol and other drugs for at least 72 hours before the trip. As you mention, hydration is key to basic health, and this is a component of the days leading up to the trip. If I haven't been hydrating well, this is my chance to catch up.

I clean my environment fully. I dust, vacuum, mop, and sanitize my bedroom. I clear rubbish and generally tidy any areas I might enter around the time of the trip, such as the bathroom, kitchen, and living room.

I make sure to eat plenty of fiber, protein, and nutrient-rich foods like nuts, leafy green vegetables, and fish. If I can't get fish, I make sure I take a good amount of high quality fish or cod liver oil. I practice a high-fat, adequate-protein diet; basically, it's a modified ketonic diet. I usually take in 1-2 tbsp of cold-pressed extra virgin coconut oil once or twice a day both for its health benefits and for increased absorption of other chemicals. However, I skip this on DXM day, which I'll explain later. I have a wide range of supplements I take as well. These include micronized creatine, HMB, a multivitamin, and a number of nootropics. My nootropic stack varies depending on whether I have to work or not, but usually includes piracetam, aniracetam, ashwagandha; sometimes I add phenibut and/or phenylpiracetam.

The day before the trip, I exercise-- hard. I push myself to my absolute limits with calisthenics, weightlifting, and cardio. If I have the time for it, I will go for 2-3 hours split up throughout the day. I find that this accomplishes two things: 1) I achieve a deeper state of rest the night before and 2) I have considerably less anxiety about the trip. At night, I take ZMA. This contains a form of magnesium, but I've never had any issues with interactions. I'm pretty certain that the peak levels of magnesium occur sometime during the night, but I would recommend caution when using magnesium supplements within 24 hours of DXM use. As I have said many times before, every body is different and every brain is different. Your mileage may vary.

Honestly I don't think I don't think they're even looking at iron when they do post RAI bloodwork. I got my blood checked several times post RAI, but no one noticed how anemic I was until I had buzzing in my ears and couldn't walk in a straight line.

I found recovery from RAI very difficult and painful, so my heart is with you. All my joints swelled two weeks post RAI, it was very painful, but it subsided after a few weeks. It's been 11 years now for me, and I remember how hard the point you are at was. I was so scared that it was my new normal, so I really want you to know that it's not. You will feel great again. Better than ever.

Light pink isn't red. Are you set to see your doctor again any time soon? If not, go to a GP and ask them to check because you're feeling very tired. Meanwhile, here's an easily digestible but not horrendously expensive iron: https://www.amazon.com/Enzymatic-Therapy-Ultimate-Iron-Softgels/dp/B0013OUHUA/ Iron is best absorbed with vitamin C, so I recommend taking it with this: https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/DA5F3511-6AF6-4561-8238-3436C25743C0?ingress=2&visitId=a5be7c9c-71e4-4b71-8401-2263e85d428f&ref_=bl_dp_s_web_2581848011 It's designed for pre-flight immune boosting, but it's really just a jolt of vitamin C, so better for iron digesting, I say. I think the berry one is tastiest, personally. If anemia is contributing to your exhaustion, you will feel a lot better in about 4 days of taking iron, in my experience, and then better every day after that.

But RAI is really rough on you, and so is starting on 100% synthroid. So kindness to yourself is still the #1 rule.

Huzzah, I can be helpful for once!

I used to not take them for the same reason. Pure mineral iron supplements destroy your stomach. These have been amazing because they’re plant and blood based. Gross sounding and I guess not for vegetarians but still. Feosol Complete with Bifera Iron.

“Feosol Complete with Bifera is a patented formula that contains two forms of iron: heme and non-heme. Heme iron is animal-based, like the iron in steak. Non-heme iron includes plant-derived iron, like the kind you find in spinach. Our patented combination of heme and non-heme is a unique, iron-rich supplement which enhances absorption while minimizing side effects such as constipation and nausea – delivering the best of both worlds.”

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0085JNY74?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I also take them with B12 and magnesium for better absorption but that’s not to the point I guess lol

We have had a lot of luck with NutritiPure Chewable iron. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DLDQTSN/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_3.Z5CbZ4KXMP0

My son was very anemic (his ferritin was like 9) and this has been working wonders with zero side effects. He takes six a day. Yes, it seems like a crazy amount but it's helped a ton. His energy is up, his coloring has improved, and they taste good.


I hope you get a break soon.

Girl! You've got all of it happening. I understand. I really do. This sounds like my pregnancy with my son - I had GD and was also being monitored for accreta - so scary! And anemia is just par for the course when I am pregnant.

Here is what worked for me:

For the GD I took a cinnamon supplement every day. Or you can just put half a teaspoon in your morning coffee or milk. It's not like I think it can cure diabetes but in my case, it lowered my sugars just enough to avoid the insulin shots. I am not sure what happens for you next, but I was sent to both an endocrinologist and a nutritionist. The E gave me the stuff for monitoring and the nutritionist and I discussed how diet can impact your blood sugar and the combination of foods you need to eat. (Carbs with fat). The finger pricking was the worst part. Also, keep in mind, that there is no real risk to having GD. I read up on it quite a bit after my diagnosis and there really is no measurable or known issues for babies who are born to mothers with GD. If you don't treat it, your baby could be large, which could result in a c-section but in my case, I was a scheduled one anyway. Even the correlations with adult obesity later are weak.

For the anemia - this supplement was the best at getting my levels up. http://www.amazon.com/MegaFood-Blood-Builder-Tablets-Count/dp/B000F4ZRCC For this recent pregnancy I started it during the second trimester and for the first time I did not get anemia. It did not upset my stomach and worked awesome, even better than slow fe. Anemia can make you feel like crap too so this helped a lot with that.

The accreta was the most challenging psychologically. (They were monitoring me because my placenta planted itself on top of my previous c-section scar.) The idea that my baby could be born healthy and that I could then die on the table and leave my hubby with the kids was truly terrifying. And I wanted another baby so the idea of a hysterectomy also really upset me. And not to scare you but the anemia on top of that is not good. So, I would strongly encourage the Blood Builder. And remind them more than once as you labor and are in the delivery room that you are being monitored for accreta, etc. You don't want them to be surprised by it. They also put a main line (?) in my arm in addition to my IV during my section so that if I needed blood I was ready to go. Luckily, my placenta detached without incident. I was so grateful. And this last pregnancy, my placenta was on the back wall of the uterus so no risk.

Despite all the issues during my pregnancy my son was born healthy as a horse 8lbs14ounces and is my heartiest baby to date. In a way it's amazing that your healthcare is so good that they know to monitor you for all this stuff. :) Though you could probably not know about half of it and still have the same outcome. The odds are all in your favor.

>my first thought was perhaps an iron deficiency, but that's usually at 90% or more of my recommended intake.

Note that the RDA for veg*ns is 1.8x higher than the standard RDA. Since you are a woman that means 32 mg/day which can be hard to achieve. The only way to know if you are iron-deficient is with a blood test. Note that consuming your iron with a good source of vitamin C will help maximize absorption. Tea and coffee can decrease absorption so it's recommended to avoid those within and hour of consuming your iron-rich meals. If you end up trying a supplement, Deva has an iron tablet that includes B12 as well.

>I'm on the lower ends of magnesium, potassium, vitamin k, and sometimes protein

Magnesium, K, and potassium are mostly leafy greens, although keep in mind the RDA for potassium was just lowered to 2600 mg/day (for women) so you might be closer than you think on that one. I usually blend 8 oz of spinach/kale/romaine/parsley into my daily smoothie and that goes a long way towards meeting those requirements.

Also, by default, Cronometer doesn't list iodine (you can go into the settings and change that) so make sure you are getting a good source of iodine daily. Iodized salt is the easiest option, although you can find many seaweed products that you can just as flavoring on dishes. Just make sure the label lists an iodine amount otherwise you don't know how much it is providing.

NovaFerrum comes in both a raspberry grape flavor and a chocolate flavor, and seems to be the easiest to tolerate.

If you use a medifrida pacifier to administer it, it should go past the back of her tongue, which helps. You can also use a disposable syringe each time instead of re-using the medifrida one, which makes it WAY easier - you only have to rinse out the pacifier part, and the disposable syringes fit just as well into the pacifier hole.

If you do the syringe+pacifier combo, and give it to her riiiiiiiiiiight before a feed when she’s already hungry, she may be able to gulp it down without really noticing. You can even chase it with an extra syringe of milk/formula to help push it through the pacifier and get the taste off her tongue before transitioning to the bottle/breast, if she tends to refuse her feeds after tasting the iron. That’s been the winning combo for us!

I get this, it is only $5.75 for 3 months worth, shouldn't break the bank?

When eating green vegetables (kale, spinach, collards etc), make sure to squirt some lemon on top to help you absorb the iron!

Cook everything in a cast iron pan!

Good luck!

Honestly taking iron never helped me and often made things worse as iron supplements can cause constipation which is already an issue for me (especially when glutened, sigh). I have chronic low iron that goes up into normal ranges occasionally, but usually sits a bit below normal. Doctors never seemed to be too worried about it for me unless it's causing issues, which it does occasionally but not consistently enough for them to do anything given the side effects I get from it.

Treatment is varied, so it depends on how bad it is. B12 and Vitamin D deficiencies are also common because your small intestine can't absorb what it needs to. Any good doctor should be running a full blood panel to see what's going on because any of these things could contribute to her symptoms. Vitamin deficiencies were the first thing my doctor considered, then thyroid issues, then I ended up at the GI.

I did take a supplement for a while after diagnosis that seemed to help with my energy levels and didn't have the negative side effects. MegaFood - DailyFoods Blood Builder. It's gluten, dairy, soy free and vegan. Supposed to be gentle on your system compared to other iron supplements, so it might be worth a shot for her. It really sucks to have to go through all the nonsense with doctors. Tell her to hang in there and keep seeking the right treatment and get answers. Its worth it, even though its so tough right now.

The only one that I have found worth taking for iron is hemaplex. https://www.amazon.com/Natures-Plus-Hema-Plex-Tablets-Count/dp/B004RD1AAA/ref=sr_1_6?crid=3MW8P84M5LXS1&keywords=hemaplex+iron+supplement&qid=1574083016&sprefix=hema%2Caps%2C186&sr=8-6

This has one tablet with iron, vitamin C, vitamin B complex, a little bit of calcium, and ZINC. I tested as anemic on last well check and taking this pill actually makes me feel better. It is the only medication I take daily (or semi daily as I'm no good with pills). Zinc is as important as magnesium, iron, etc. and no one really talks about it. A deficiency affects your mood often creating a lack of pleasure, attention, and energy. For some, overeating is medicating all these things (or lack there of).

Floradix is a great brand and they have several options. I really like this (below) one has a decent flavor and the vitamin C helps with absorption. Neither have the constipation or nausea often that go with ferrous sulfate supplements.

Chewable Iron 18 mg with Vitamin C 30 mg Supplement Tablet in Orange Flavor 90 Count https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IPUJ606/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_UbGeAb1WF08JC

I'd make sure your iron is in check. It isn't absorbed well at the best of times, and with Crohn's that's going to be worse. I'd get a blood draw if you can afford it, to test for all the anemia markers (iron, B12, and folate being the biggest culprits)

If you don't want to get a blood draw, eat more red meat with vitamin C containing foods (they increase absorption) and away from dairy (calcium inhibits iron absorption). A modest iron supplement (something like 15-30mg) is good to try. Here's an example of one, try it with orange juice or a piece of fruit to increase absorption: http://www.amazon.com/Solgar-Gentle-BISGLYCINATE-Vegetable-Capsules/dp/B00013Z0QA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1426804025&sr=8-3&keywords=iron+supplement

This doesn't directly answer your question, but I went through this last summer and successfully got my iron levels back up to normal by using Blood Builder and using the app HabitBull to remind me to take the pills every day. Blood Builder is a lot gentler on the system than the other iron supplements. I was able to take it every day without needing to add laxatives.

I also ate some chicken liver, which I don't love. But, it is tolerable if you make it into pate and eat it with chips. :)

Hi there! I've had iron issues for years pre-pregnancy due to Crohn's and heavy periods. For some reason, they disappeared for a brief window in time, only to rear their ugly head when I got pregnant.

I cannot stress how much these supplements in particular helped. I absolutely love them. Their easy on the stomach, do not cause insane constipation, and are effective. I need to buy another bottle, but I'm a little strapped for cash until payday.

Seriously. They're awesome.

I didn’t become anemic until age 25 when my endo got bad. Here’s a link for liquid iron, easier to take if you don’t like pills, more friendlier on the stomach:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006LTCAU2/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_fRD6Cb13KQVXV

NOTE: unless you have had lab work and is determined low on iron to where there primary told them to take iron, i wouldn’t advise anyone to do so just because. Once you’ve reached your ideal numbers STOP taking it.

We don’t need multivitamins etc, excess can cause buildup and overdose. Happened to my friend with calcium, now she’s having surgery etc, to remove it.

Have you tried the Floravital drops? Some have good luck with it.

Salus-Haus - Floradix Floravital Iron & Herbs Yeast Free - 8.5 oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00028Q1ZI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_zycCCbDBAKTA3

What supplements can I take to protect and strengthen my liver?

I recommend the following:

1. Cycle Support (NAC, Milk Thistle, etc: http://www.amazon.com/Cycle-Support-Protection-Nutrition-Capsules/dp/B007HP04UM/
   
   
2. R-ALA: http://www.amazon.com/ALLMAX-Nutrition-R-ALA----150/dp/B001E8T9H2/
   
   ---
   
   Starting on Clenbuterol to assist in weight loss, but am paranoid of adding stress to my liver - already on 50 mg of Androcur per day. Good idea, or not?
   
   Clen definitely can assist in weight loss if it's used correctly. There are significant risks: you must drink at least 120-160oz of water every day because... you must be ok with sweating A LOT on days that you take it because it lasts a long time and it's not well suited for gym in the morning and then going to the office. You can only cycle it for 2 weeks at a time, and for a total of 12 weeks per calendar year. It will most likely make you very vascular (an enviable aesthetic for some or dysphoric for others) and it's pretty hard on the cardio system. If your AST and ALT blood levels are in the median reference range or lower then you should be ok to take Clen as long as you take cycle support + 2-5g of taurine every day.
   
   ---
   
   What is your stance on caffeine as far as disrupting / interfering with estrogen uptake and feminization?
   
   A study in the October 2001 issue of "Fertility and Sterility" found that more than one cup of coffee a day increased estrogen in women between the ages of 36 and 45 in the first stage of the menstrual cycle. In a study reported in the June 2005 issue of "Cancer," caffeine intake decreased estradiol, one of the forms of estrogen, during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Both caffeinated coffee and caffeinated tea had this effect. The researchers thought caffeine might inhibit aromatase, a key enzyme in the production of estrogen in the body. [http://www.livestrong.com/article/503844-how-does-caffeine-affect-estrogen-levels/]
   
   Here's the thing about those research studies... they're all done on cis-women who are not injecting estrogen or taking estrogen pills at the extent that trans-women do. If there are issues with caffeine (first off you have to be drinking a lot of caffeine for this to be an issue in the first place, and that's not generally healthy anyway + there are better/healthier stimulants than caffeine) then we, as trans-women, can simply take more estrogen and correct the imbalance. Until more research has been done, and focused on cis-women who have had a single/double hysterectomy (this is the closest demographic we can get to in the medical community if they aren't studying trans-women specifically) then the issues with caffeine can be disregarded since we do not fit into the study or control groups (no menstrual cycle).

I haven't had any iron pills, but this liquid seems to be pretty good for me.

Pharmacist here.

“Unmarked,” film-coated tablet that appears decently sized. My best guess would be something like this combo supplement of Iron and Vitamin C.

I take fish oil supplements with a good EPA/DHA ratio and strawberry aftertaste, an iron supplement at the right dosage so it doesn't make me sick, 1000mg of vitamin D3, and then some random multivitamin gummies that, yes, have sugar in them.

The gummies incentivize me to take the vitamins in the first place, so.

Pro-tip if you do this: Buy one of those 7-day pill boxes and load it up once a week so you're not digging through multiple bottles every day.

I take this one, haven’t noticed any constipation issues with it and liked it well enough to get it on subscribe and save

https://www.amazon.com/Garden-Life-Iron-Complex-Supplement/dp/B00280M13O

I take this multivitamin because it seems to be the most complete but not outrageously expensive. The full dose is 3 pills and so I spread them out throughout the day. It's higher in zinc and selenium then any other multi I found, which I'm also usually deficient in. They have a gummy version, but it doesn't have as many micronutrients as this one.


And this iron it's a really high dose so I only take it every other day. I take it first thing in the morning with a glass of water and don't eat/drink anything for an hour or two because supposedly it's best absorbed on an empty stomach

I do. I take Enzymatic Therapy - Ultimate Iron.

It contains a few other minerals besides iron, too- Vitamin C, Folic Acid, and B-12.

I've tried many supplements on the market and this one has helped more than anything else. It also contains cholorophyll and liquid liver fractions (? but a source of heme iron I guess), and maybe that's why it works better than others? I take the recommended dosage of two per day every day.

I will also note that I was diagnosed with anemia years ago. Back in 2010, I had a hemoglobin of 7.3 and nonexistant ferritin (the doc was janky and didn't test it, but with an hgb that low, it's safe to say I had no ferritin). In two months, I went from running a 10K to not even being able to run a mile without stopping due to anemia.

Everything is in the normal range now, but I still take the iron supplements to keep my ferritin up over 50 and because I know I'm losing iron with running (footstrike) and sweat in the SC heat and humidity. I also don't eat red meat or any meat besides seafood.

I get my blood tested every 6 months and unless my ferritin is ever HIGH, I plan to keep taking the iron supplements. I notice a difference in my energy in life and performance when I don't.

I take liquid iron! It’s not supposed to cause GI symptoms like iron pills, and it doesn’t give me any side effects. It’s also absorbed much better.

I get this automatically delivered every month Nature's Way Liquid Mineral Supplement, Iron, Natural Berry, 16 Ounce https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006LTCAU2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_FjJSDbJK2G5FD

I’ve heard floradix is good too but it’s a bit more expensive.

So sorry to hear this. This is the problem you are probably being glutened, but have no idea the source.

Floravital has some products that I think are safe. Cost-co i am still iffy about.

Here is a gluten free iron one:

https://www.amazon.com/Floravital-Herbs-Yeast-Flora-Liquid/dp/B0010EBEU0

I've had great success in the past 3 months using minox foam and taking iron supplements. My ferritin has always hovered around 20-45 and around 3 years ago I experienced a good amount of regrowth on the iron supplements alone. I got lazy and stopped the iron and a few years later I found myself freaking out about my hair again. Adding minox has been a game-changer and I wish I started sooner. I have AGA with a family history. Also been off birth control (Yaz) for about a year now - first noticed the loss while on it after a few years at 21.

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Also here are the iron supplements I take: https://www.amazon.com/Enzymatic-Therapy-Ultimate-Iron-Softgels/dp/B0013OUHUA They've worked wonders for me!

Check out Deva for vegan supplements! I have these ones on hand at the moment and they have added B12 too!

https://www.amazon.com/Deva-Nutrition-Vegan-Chelated-Count/dp/B005JLFPIM

sounds silly because I have bought them all separate but I got this on amazon and the active ingredients are basically just a mix of what everyone will suggest: https://www.amazon.com/Cycle-Support-Nutrition-Protection-Capsules/dp/B007HP04UM/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=cycle+support&qid=1566394408&s=gateway&sr=8-3

Solgar Gentle Iron is the only iron supplement I’ve ever taken that doesn’t kill my guts. I’ve been taking it daily for years, it really helps with a little extra boost in energy.

So I haven't read about breastmilk hindering iron consumption, but it is generally assumed that by 6 months the iron stores you had from pregnancy are gone from your milk supply and an iron supplement at this time is usually suggested. This is what we used https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BTMKDUU/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&th=1 as I wasn't a huge fan of those Enfamil drops. For vitamin D (also recommended before baby drinks cow's milk, if they ever do... mine never has just because she didn't like it) we used a carelson's drop. Super small dose that provides everything they need and you can put the drop on the tip of your nipple.
For us, solids drastically changed the poop game. I'd attribute any constipation to that. Everything I've read says that breastmilk or formula should be the main source of nutrition until age 1. In fact, til my daughter was 1, I'd also offer breastmilk before food. She didn't really solidly start eating 3 "meals" until around 9 months.

No - it was a while back, but if I remember correctly my problem was that my blood was more brown than red for a lot of the beginning of my period. Why that translates into iron deficiency, I don't know. But I will say that when I was regularly drinking it, my periods did stay more bright red (which she said is how they are supposed to be - 3-4 days of steady, fresh red flow with minimal cramping).

I was drinking this.

I've gotten out of the habit since IVF because with so many shots + vitamins, I just didn't have the patience to be taking one more thing.

My grandma bought me these raw iron supplements that are a lot easier on my tummy than the ones my doctor prescribed me. I switch back and forth between them.

Anyone have experience or can recommend this product while on blast?

https://www.amazon.com/Cycle-Support-Protection-Nutrition-Capsules/dp/B007HP04UM

B12 is difficult to get if you don't eat a lot of fermented foods, so stock up on supplements. I really like this one. The Deva brand is a good one. I also use their multi-vitamin. I tend to have low iron, even before going vegan.

I hate regular iron because it makes me super constipated but I've been taking iron bisglycinate instead and it's a world of difference. I take [this] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00013Z0QA/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1517767647&sr=8-1&keywords=solgar+iron) one.

I had very low iron levels at my last blood draw. I started taking this iron supplement and it's been going really well. Not the same side effects as I had with my first prenatal (that I quit taking because the constipation and nausea was so bad).

Oh, and frosted mini wheats has 90% iron (but since you eat it with milk I don't know how much you actually get)

Have you tried vegan iron supplements?

https://www.amazon.com/MegaFood-Promotes-Production-Circulation-Packaging/dp/B00GZ9H0L2/ref=sr_1_1_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1469921205&sr=1-1&keywords=heme+iron&refinements=p_n_feature_nine_browse-bin%3A6997076011

I did well with gentle iron when I only needed more minor supplementation and during pregnancy with no side effects. Now I take slow Fe (much higher dose) and there's occasional constipation.

It's probably just from iron deficiency. There's a better tasting iron. Hmm what's it called...oh yeah nova ferrum

NovaFerrum Pediatric Drops Liquid Iron Supplement for Infants and Toddlers 120 mL https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BTMKDUU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_XXfSyb8WRSKQG

Childhood cancer is extremely rare while iron deficiency anemia is very common. What's your doc say?

I think you should start supplementing iron. I went to my doctor with complaints about feeling faint on my heavy periods, so they drew some blood to run tests on. They told me that my results came back as "normal", but when I looked at the levels they were on the lowest end of normal.

I started taking "Mega Food Blood Builder" (its certified vegan) and it took that fainting feeling away.

I don't take it every day, but I eat meat and I supplement with these about twice a week.

This is the one I use, but I'm sure there are a ton of vegetarian/vegan options out there.

Yup it's gross and notorious for being so. My pediatrician recommended it too,but the reviews on Amazon were so poor that we went with this iron supplement and this vitamin d supplement instead.

My midwife suggested these and I've had no problems, even taking them twice a day.

My hemoglobin levels were fine and iron was just on the line of "meh, it's enough" so I opted to just go with a low dose liquid iron supplement. I was getting restless legs at night and had read that low iron and magnesium was thought to be a reason for them, but I had plenty of magnesium. I went with Wellesse Liquid Iron and haven't had RLS since. I went with this one because it's not like a million mg, which I don't need, and because any iron in pill form has eaten the everliving shit out of my stomach. This hasn't made me feel ill once and I'm on my second bottle.

I hope that helps.