Iron : Safety

by MedlinePlus

(Page 3 of 4)

Allergies

Iron is a trace mineral, and hypersensitivity is unlikely. Avoid if known allergy/hypersensitivity to products containing iron.

Side Effects and Warnings

General: People with or a history of kidney disease, intestinal disease, peptic ulcer disease, enteritis, colitis, pancreatitis, hepatitis, who consume excessive alcohol, plan to become pregnant, or are over age 55 and have a family history of heart disease, should consult your doctor and pharmacist before taking iron.

A preliminary study demonstrated that a low-dose iron supplement containing both heme iron and non-heme iron (Hemofer®) may have fewer side effects when compared with equipotent, traditional non-heme iron supplements.

Liquid oral iron preparations can possibly blacken teeth.

Cardiovascular: Studies on the effects of iron stores on coronary heart disease yield conflicting results. Excess iron intake should be avoided.

Gastrointestinal: Gastrointestinal (GI) upset including nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, and dark stools have been reported. GI side effects are relatively common and corrective bowel regimens such as increasing dietary fiber or over the counter medication might be recommended to balance these side effects. Supervision by a qualified healthcare provider is recommended.

Hematologic: Individuals with blood disorders who require frequent blood transfusions are also at risk of iron overload and should not take iron supplements without direction by a qualified healthcare provider. Long-term use of high doses of iron can cause hemosiderosis that clinically resembles hemochromatosis.

HCV infection: HCV infection and iron loading may aggravate oxidative stress in dialysis patients.

Neurodegenerative disease: Accumulation of excess iron is being investigated as a potential contributor to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

Iron toxicity in pediatric patients: A single formulation targeted for infants 6-8 months of age may result in excessive intakes of certain nutrients (e.g., calcium, iron and zinc) if consumed by children 12-23 months of age (up to six times the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for iron, whereas a formulation targeted for children 12-23 months of age may provide insufficient levels of nutrients for infants 6-8 months of age (only 4-44% of the RDA for iron for example). Iron overload is possible in very low birth weight infants after multiple blood transfusions due to increase liver iron concentration. Prenatal iron-overload might contribute to the pathogenesis of the disease, but further studies are needed to confirm the assumption.

Hypersiderosis(uncontrollable sweating): A case of hypersiderosis has been reported with long-term iron supplementation in uremic patients treated with periodic dialysis.

Hemochromatosis(a defect in iron metabolism with build up of iron in the body): Iron overload is associated with several genetic diseases including hemochromatosis, which affects approximately 1 in 250 individuals of northern European descent. Individuals with hemochromatosis absorb iron very efficiently, which can result in a build up of excess iron in organs and can cause organ damage such as cirrhosis of the liver and heart failure. This condition often is not diagnosed until the excess iron stores have damaged an organ. The most commonly associated early hemochromatosis symptoms may include fatigue, weakness, weight loss, abdominal pain, and arthralgia. Some studies confirm the presence of excessive nonheme iron absorption even from unfortified meals in patients with idiopathic hemochromatosis and suggest in addition that they are particularly susceptible to iron loading from diets containing a high proportion of heme iron.

Acute overdosage/iron accumulation: Arthritis, signs of gonadal failure (amenorrhea, early menopause, loss of libido, impotence), and shortness of breath/dyspnea may occur. Doses of 60mg/kg and over may cause vomiting and diarrhea, followed by cardiovascular or metabolic toxicity, and death. It is unclear whether high levels are associated with cancer, coronary heart disease or myocardial infarction (MI).

Type 2 Diabetes (women): One study indicates that higher consumption of total red meat, especially various processed meats, may increase risk of developing type 2 diabetes in women.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Pregnant or breastfeeding when should seek guidance from a qualified healthcare provider before taking dietary supplements. Iron status of the pregnant woman should be measured early (before the 15th week of gestation) and iron supplements should be given as selective prophylaxis based on the serum ferritin level.

FDA Pregnancy Category B: Usually safe but benefits must outweigh the risks.

FDA Pregnancy Category C: Safety for use during pregnancy has not been established for replenishing depleted iron stores in the bone marrow where it is incorporated into hemoglobin.

About the Author

medlineplus.gov
MedlinePlus will direct you to information to help answer health questions. MedlinePlus brings together authoritative information from NLM, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies and health-related organizations. MedlinePlus also has extensive information about drugs, an illustrated medical encyclopedia, interactive patient tutorials, and latest health news.