Should I Take Iron With Vitamin C?
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Recognized Benefits
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Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) plays an important role in increasing the body's absorption of both heme and non-heme dietary iron. Heme iron is the type of iron found in meat such as liver, fish and poultry. Non-heme iron is more readily found in non-meat sources such as legumes, nuts and leafy green vegetables.
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Absorbing Too Much Iron
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While it is possible to increase the body's absorption of iron by consuming foods rich in vitamin C, it is important to be sure that the body isn't already getting enough iron as it is. Most healthy adults only absorb about 15 percent of the iron they consume. This is perfectly normal, and is dependent upon how much iron each individual's body stores. If the body absorbs too much iron, complications may occur, such as hemochromatosis, a condition in which the body stores excess iron in vital organs such as the heart and liver, causing fatigue and abdominal pain.
Bottom Line
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"Eating iron-rich foods along with a food high in vitamin C will ensure better iron absorption," says Kristie Leong, M.D., a general practitioner from the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. However, "Before taking measures to increase iron absorption through diet, make sure you really need the extra iron stores."
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- Photo Credit Vitamin C image by Mykola Velychko from Fotolia.com
