Ferrous Sulfate vs Ferrous Gluconate?!
Question: My doctor told me to take Ferrous Gluconate (325mg) 3 times daily for the next few months. At the store I accidently bought Ferrous Sulfate instead (which is also 325mg). Is there any difference?
Also, does taking it 3 times a day seem right? Because this bottle of Ferrous Sulfate says that it contains 65 mg of iron, which is 360% daily value. So if I take it 3 times a day, that's over 10 times the daily need for the average person. I know my iron is low, but taking 10 times the normal amount seems ridiculous, if not fatal.
Answers: My doctor told me to take Ferrous Gluconate (325mg) 3 times daily for the next few months. At the store I accidently bought Ferrous Sulfate instead (which is also 325mg). Is there any difference?
Also, does taking it 3 times a day seem right? Because this bottle of Ferrous Sulfate says that it contains 65 mg of iron, which is 360% daily value. So if I take it 3 times a day, that's over 10 times the daily need for the average person. I know my iron is low, but taking 10 times the normal amount seems ridiculous, if not fatal.
Some people tolerate the gastrointestinal side effects of ferrous gluconate better than ferrous sulfate. Therapeutically, they are the same and you can use the ferrous sulfate instead. It may seem like a lot of iron that you are taking. However, only a small percentage of the iron will actually get absorbed. So to absorb a little bit, you have to take a lot and 3 times a day isn't unusual.
Ferrous gluconate (organic) or ferrous fumarate (organic) is much better absorbed than ferrous sulphate (inorganic) as organic supplements are much better absorbed than inorganic supplements so inorganic supplements need to be taken in greater amounts than organic supplements.
The recommended amounts stated on the bottle are quite safe and you must remember that if each tablet or capsule contains 65 mg of iron only a certain and sometimes small proportion of that is actually absorbed by your body.