For many people, coffee and orange juice are part of the perfect breakfast – but those who suffer from iron deficiency and take the corresponding supplements should avoid one of the foods, because coffee has been shown to inhibit iron absorption. And not just that.
You feel listless, constantly tired, suffer from torn corners of your mouth or hair loss: Anyone who has ever been affected by iron deficiency knows how uncomfortable it can be. Once the deficiency has been diagnosed, preparations in tablet form are usually prescribed. Through them, the body’s stores are to be replenished with the trace element. Some foods help with oral therapy, while others inhibit iron absorption in the body. Read here why a glass of orange juice helps and why coffee should not be drunk in combination with iron tablets.
Why does my body need iron?
Iron is essential for us humans. It helps carry oxygen in the bloodstream. This is bound to the iron in the red blood cells and is thus distributed in the body. In addition to blood formation, this is the most important task of iron. The trace element is also important for cellular energy supply, DNA synthesis and defense against infections. In short: without iron, our body does not function as it should.
Also interesting: Symptoms that indicate iron deficiency
The German Society for Nutrition e. V. recommends the following iron intake per day:
– Adolescent males up to 19 years of age: 12 mg
– Men aged 19 and over: 10 mg
– Women from 10 to 51 years: 15 mg
– Women aged 51 and over: 10 mg
– Pregnant women: 30 mg
– Breastfeeding women: 20 mg
It is important with these values that falling below the recommended intake does not directly mean a deficiency – a widespread misunderstanding. The last large-scale national consumption study (2008) showed that around 14 percent of men and 58 percent of women remain below the recommended daily intake. In Europe, however, only 5 to 10 percent of the population have a real iron deficiency, mostly women. Because you can lose up to 40 milligrams of the important trace element per month through menstrual bleeding alone. About 20 percent of women of childbearing age are affected by the deficiency.
What should I watch out for when taking iron supplements?
A blood test can determine whether you have an iron deficiency. After a medical diagnosis, the deficiency can be treated with dietary supplements in tablet form, with dragees or with a liquid preparation. However, these must be taken consistently over several months. Because: Even if oral iron supplements are usually prescribed with an initial dose of 50 to 100 milligrams of iron per day, the body can effectively absorb only 5 to 10 percent of it.
According to the German Society for Hematology and Medical Oncology, the duration of therapy can therefore last from weeks to months, depending on the severity of the iron deficiency. The problem: Those treated often complain about symptoms such as stomach pain and nausea, constipation or diarrhea. A good reason, then, to pay attention to how you take your iron supplements so that the therapy does not last longer than absolutely necessary.
Also interesting: The right time to take dietary supplements
Coffee, tea and red wine – foods that can inhibit iron absorption
For example, if you come up with the idea of quickly washing down one or two iron tablets with your first cup of coffee in the morning, you should give it up as soon as possible. Because the tannins contained in coffee significantly inhibit iron absorption. The situation is similar with tannins. These are also vegetable tanning agents, which are contained in red wine, black tea and green tea, for example. Experts therefore recommend avoiding coffee and tea 30 to 60 minutes before and after an iron-rich meal or taking a supplement.
And anyone who thought spinach was an iron booster was wrong: the oxalic acid it contains, which is also found in cocoa, beetroot or rhubarb, does not mix well with the trace element. Other iron thieves are calcium (mainly found in dairy products) and phosphate (e.g. in cola). And soy, white flour products and other sources of phytic acid are also not recommended in combination with iron products.
Caution should also be exercised when taking stomach acid-neutralizing medication and additional mineral supplements, such as calcium tablets or magnesium powder. They also inhibit the absorption of iron in the body. If you take different dietary supplements every day, you should never do them at the same time.
Quite a long list! In the best case, the preparations are therefore taken on an empty stomach. In the morning, for example, that would mean half an hour to an hour before breakfast, and the rest of the day two hours after a meal.
Also interesting: Iron may inhibit the anti-cancer effect of tomatoes
Vitamin C ensures optimal iron absorption
Vitamin C promotes the absorption of iron. Taking your iron tablets with a glass of orange or lemon juice, for example, improves the absorption of the trace element in your body. The same applies to a piece of fruit or vegetable containing vitamin C.
Vitamin C is already included in some substitution preparations to improve iron absorption. Folic acid and B vitamins are also often included – ideal for people who do not like fruit, have allergies or do not want to worry too much about taking their preparation.
Can I take in too much iron?
Iron supplements are freely available in drugstores and pharmacies, but should only be taken on medical advice. Because if you take too high a dose of iron over a long period of time, you risk chronic iron oversupply. And according to the BfR, this could increase the risk of heart disease or cancer. This cannot happen through diet alone: Here the body automatically reduces the intake when its iron stores are full.