How long does it take for iron to be absorbed by the body?

Iron is one of the most important minerals needed by the body, a deficiency of which will have unpleasant consequences. If you always look pale, tired and weak, and your hands and feet are usually abnormally cold, you may have iron deficiency anemia. This type of anemia is more common in women than men. If you are taking iron pills to prevent or treat anemia, you may be wondering how long it takes to see the effects of taking this supplement. Stay with us; Iron uptake time is the subject of this article.

How much iron do we need daily?

The recommended daily allowance of iron varies at different ages. Note the following values:

• From birth to 6 months: Girls and boys 0.27 mg
• 7 to 12 months: Girls and boys 11 mg
• 1 to 3 years: Girls and boys 7 mg
• 4 to 8 years old: 10 mg for girls and boys
• 9 to 13 years old: Girls and boys 8 mg
• 14 to 18 years old: girls: 15 mg and boys: 11 mg
• 19 to 50 years old: Women: 18 mg and men: 8 mg
• 51 years and older: Ladies and gentlemen: 8 mg

As you can see, the recommended amount of iron for girls and boys varies from adolescence onwards, from the age of 14, and girls need higher doses of iron. The maximum recommended dose for iron intake in adults is 45 mg daily.

What is the absorption time of iron in the gastrointestinal tract?

Iron, like most nutrients, is absorbed in the small intestine. But how long it takes for an iron tablet to be absorbed depends largely on when and how it is taken. When iron supplementation enters the stomach, it is exposed to stomach acid. It is often at this stage that many people experience digestive disorders such as nausea. Iron enters the duodenum from the stomach. Today, many iron supplements are formulated in such a way that they pass intact through the stomach and into the small intestine with the coating on them.

Most iron supplements will dissolve in the stomach in about 20 to 30 minutes. But some supplements are also produced slowly. In this case, the coating on the supplement protects it against the acidic environment of the stomach to reach the intestines. In fact, it can be said that as soon as you start taking iron supplements, it starts to be absorbed by the body a few minutes later. But how long does it take to see the effects of anemia?

The type of iron tablet you use is very important when absorbing iron. Ferrous sulfate, which is used more than any other type of iron supplement and is commonly prescribed by doctors, causes stomach problems in many people. But other supplements that are made with new formulations today, have better and faster absorption in the body and do not cause gastrointestinal side effects.

How long does it take to see the effects of taking iron pills?

It usually takes 2 to 3 weeks for you to see the effect of taking the iron capsule. Depending on your body’s need for the mineral iron, it may even take up to 90 days for you to feel that your symptoms of anemia are diminishing. In other words, the more severe your anemia, the longer it will take for the treatment process to take place. In addition to taking iron capsules, it is also necessary to make changes in the diet and consume more food sources of iron. Note the following about the time the body absorbs iron:

• If you are a woman and you are at the age of menstruation, it will take longer for the iron pill to show its effects on your body. Because you lose a lot of blood every time you menstruate.
• If you do not get enough iron in your diet, iron stores may increase rapidly as you take iron pills.
• Finally, if you change your diet and use more natural sources of iron, it will take longer than when you take iron pills to see the effects.

How long should iron supplements be continued?

This is a question that only a doctor can answer. In fact, the answer to this question depends on your physical condition and the extent to which your body is deficient in the mineral iron.

People are generally advised to use dietary supplements for at least a 3-month period to conclude. However, you should definitely consult a doctor in this case because he may have a different opinion based on your specific circumstances.

Sometimes, even though you take iron pills every day, you may still have anemia and your body will heal slowly. Why? Because various factors affect the absorption time of iron, which we will discuss below.

Factors affecting iron absorption

In this section, we will introduce you to foods that reduce and increase iron absorption:

Foods that reduce iron absorption

Consumption of the following foods causes iron levels to hardly reach the desired level and in fact the absorption of iron is impaired:

• Phytic acid (often found in grains and legumes)
• Tannins (a chemical compound)
• Polyphenols (found in tea)
• Lion
• Caffeine
• Some proteins found in soy

Given that many people around the world start their day with tea, coffee, milk or breakfast cereals, it is easy to see why anemia is so common in the world.

Foods that increase iron absorption

In order to reduce the time of iron absorption in the body and see the effects of consumption faster, it is often recommended to use the following foods along with iron supplements:

• Citrus fruits such as oranges, sweet lemons or the juice of these fruits
• Taking vitamin C tablets
• Vitamin A and beta-carotene
• Beef, mutton, fish and poultry

The best time to take iron tablets

In most cases, the best time to take iron tablets is about 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal. Iron supplements are best taken with water and on an empty stomach. Taking iron supplements with food may reduce the body’s absorption of iron by up to 50%. However, since many people suffer from gastrointestinal problems by taking iron pills, they will inevitably have to take this supplement with their meals. The reason why iron tablets should be taken on an empty stomach and without food is that in this case the stomach is acidic and iron absorption is better.

The final word

It takes 20 to 30 minutes for an iron pill to dissolve in the stomach, but the time it takes for iron to be absorbed also depends on the type of pill taken, the individual’s physical condition, and the amount of iron deficiency in the body. It may normally take up to 3 months for you to see the effects of taking an iron supplement on anemia. However, it is best for your doctor to determine exactly how long you should take iron pills to treat anemia.