Iron Deficiency and daily recommended intake?

Question

My son has iron deficiency anemia (age 14 months), his doctor could not recommended any dietary improvements for more iron without sacrificing anything else so I was prescribed an iron supplement for him.

So far from what I can find the recommended iron intake for his age is 7 - 10 mg per day. Then why does the supplement at recommended dosage have 85 mg per day?

Yes I will be asking his doctor when I see him next.

Answer 1

the doses of iron for iron-deficient children are weight-dependent and they also depend on the severity of the condition. the official dose of iron for children in your son's age is 2-4 mg/kg/day in 1 or 2 divided doses.

oral iron supplements don't contain pure iron because they are actually iron salts so only a percentage of those pills is the pure iron that will be absorbed and used in the body for making RBCs.

The recommended daily allowances (8-10mg/day) are given to prevent iron deficiency and no to treat.

Answer 2

Cause they'll say anything to make more money!  Even though that much iron can be very dangerous, they'll suck a few people in!!

Answer 3

Really? With there being so much d**n iron added to Cereal these days I can't see how any child could be iron deficient. There should be a warning label on Cereals about how much iron they have.  Note: when he gets older make sure he stops the iron suppliments. Iron, while needed for normal blood cell function, is horrible for you in high amounts. Many DRs who don't keep up on medicine don't know better and perscribe a boat load of iron.  It causes oxidative stress to cells : the main cause of ageing.

Answer 4

http://www.healthcastle.com/iron.shtml

Here is a website. He should be ready at 14 mos for almost anything, as long as it is mushed up according to his teeth/so he doesn't choke.



Another source of iron is cream of wheat, otherwise known as farina. Hot cereal. It would be a double dose of iron if you sweeten it with blackstrap molasses. There is also this mamby pamby bread called iron kids. Probably a lot like Wonder bread, it's problably enriched with iron. Many foods are.

I imagine the high dosage is to build UP his stores of iron, because they are low. He won't always need that much. You also have to back off iron if he starts getting constipated, and when his blood work shows that his anemia is under control.

If he tried to get that much iron in food, he would end up with a LOT LOT LOT (way too much) protein in his diet since it is easiest to get iron from meat, or just overweight from all the food it would take to get that much per day.

Answer 5

Not all of iron in the suppliments  are absorbed after digestion

Answer 6

The RDA for iron in children 1-3 years of  age is 7mg/day.  Has the doctor looked into why your son is anemic?  I would talk to your son's doctor to pursue why his iron is so low (poor absorption, bleeding, or low intake etc), so that you can treat the cause, not just the symptom.  Some foods high in iron include: soy, black-strap molasses (mix in cereals etc), legumes (beans, lentils and peas), quinoa and red meats (although I doubt your son is quite ready for that at 14mos).  Absorption is increased when combined with vitamin C (citrus, berries, red peppers, broccoli, papaya etc)  Iron is a very poorly absorbed mineral, and even more poorly absorbed in a pill type form.  Make sure you give him a liquid supplement, which is easier to absorb and often cause fewer side effects than a solid supplement.  Always give an iron supplement with a meal to minimize the chances of stomach irritation.

Good luck!