Iron supplements for vegetarians and vegans support overall health and help reduce the risk of iron deficiency anemia (IDA).
Many people who follow dietary guidelines that do not include animal proteins face an increased risk of iron insufficiency. If you are at risk for IDA, you may want to consider adding an iron supplement to your diet.
Unfortunately, find a good iron supplement for vegans and vegetarians can pose a challenge.
Vegetarians, Vegans & Iron Deficiency
The human body requires iron to produce red blood cells, with carry critical supplies of oxygen to every system and tissue. Without it, you could experience symptoms that range from fatigue and weakness to low body temperature. If your levels of iron fall critically low, you could face more serious consequences. Specifically, you could be at risk of chronic iron deficiency and IDA.
Plant-based dietary iron is more difficult for the body to absorb. In fact, vegetarians should intake significantly more iron each day than non-vegetarians. According to the U.S. National Institutes for Health (NIH), the recommended iron intake for vegetarians is 1.8 times more than it is for non-vegetarians.
For adult males, that places the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of iron at 14.4 mg. For women, the RDA is 32.4 mg. and, for pregnant women, the RDA is 48.6 mg.
Do You Need Iron Supplements for Vegans?
Determining whether you need iron supplementation is a decision you should make in conjunction with your doctor or healthcare practitioner. If you do decide to supplement your diet, finding a good vegan iron supplement can be challenging.
Many over the counter iron supplements available today are derived from heme-based sources. Even if a supplement’s iron source is non-heme, there is a good chance that the product contains dairy or ingredients derived from fish or other animal-based proteins.
Finding a supplement that fits with the needs of vegetarians and vegans can pose significant challenges. You may find yourself research products at length, reading the small print and perusing extensive – and potentially confusing – lists of ingredients.
Choosing the Best Vegan and Vegetarian Iron Supplements
Iron supplementation is available in two forms – heme and non-heme. As a vegetarian or vegan, you need to find the best non-heme iron supplements available, to ensure your iron is not sourced from animal-based products.
Pharmics is proud to offer you our Ferretts iron tablets. These supplements do not contain soy, lactose, nuts, yeast or fish. In fact, they contain no animal byproducts whatsoever. They are non-constipating, easy to swallow and well-tolerated, even on an empty stomach. Dye-free and gluten-free, these supplements are ideal for anyone who follows a vegan or vegetarian diet.
Contact us today if you would like to learn more about our affordable, high-quality products, or if you would like to place an order for iron supplements for vegetarians and vegans.
Statements on this page have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.