Hi sharing something I found when searching about iron supplements. Coz i was curious as I know my obimin contains something called ferrous fumarate, which i remember is actually iron. so i checked it out and this is what i found.
<font color="0077aa">IRON One of the most common complications of pregnancy is anemia. Although inadequate maternal iron stores, unlike other nutrient deficiencies, don't directly harm the growing fetus, they can lead to a difficult labor. Decreased iron increases the mother's risk of preeclampsia (elevated blood pressure and edema) and of death if hemorrhage occurs at delivery.3 The concern is real because iron deficiency is so prevalent. In fact, 20 percent of non-pregnant women are deficient,4 and this risk multiplies during pregnancy because iron needs double from 15 to 30 mg/day.5 More iron is required because the mother's blood volume increases to transport oxygen to the fetus. Iron is part of the hemoglobin molecule that carries oxygen in red blood cells. It is particularly critical in the last trimester of pregnancy when the fetus and the placenta store the mineral. If a pregnant woman complains of tiredness or difficulty concentrating, she should be assessed for anemia and given iron alone or as part of a multivitamin.
Iron supplementation is important because its richest food sources, such as shellfish and organ meats, are not common in the diet and are not present at all in vegetarian diets. In fact, the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C., recommends that pregnant women supplement with 30 mg ferrous iron daily, especially during the second and third trimesters.2 Ferrous fumarate is the most common form of iron in supplements, and 100 mg of it are needed to provide 30 mg of ferrous iron. Since iron absorption may be inhibited by other minerals in multivitamins, supplements with more than the RDA for iron may be more effective. Alternatively, a woman may take a multivitamin without iron and an iron supplement between meals. The two remaining side effects associated with iron supplementation are nausea and constipation. If a woman experiences nausea as a result of taking iron she can eat a piece of fruit or a drink a cup of ginger tea with her supplement. The ginger, which is effective for morning sickness, will alleviate supplement-induced nausea as well.6 If constipation becomes a problem, I recommend women add one tablespoon to one-quarter cup of ground flaxseeds to their food each day.
CALCIUM Another important prenatal mineral is calcium. Supplementing with 12 g/day has been shown in some studies to prevent the risks of pregnancy-induced hypertension and its more advanced condition, preeclampsia/eclampsia, as well as the risk of preterm birth.7 Women with inadequate dietary protein, those younger than 20 or older than 30 who are pregnant for the first time, women who have had five or more pregnancies, as well as women with a history of heart disease, diabetes or hypertension are at risk for these conditions. Because these women may not receive all the calcium they need from diet, and because multivitamins may not provide sufficient levels of calcium either, an extra calcium supplement is in order.
Prescription prenatal vitamins contain an average of 212 mg calcium per daily dose. Natural products brands often contain up to 1,000 mg per daily dose. A separate supplement providing 1,000 mg of well-absorbed calcium citrate malate, combined with 500 mg magnesium, may be the best bet. Magnesium relaxes vascular smooth muscle and also helps mobilize calcium in bone. The greatest needs for calcium occur during the period of intense fetal growth in the last trimester, but extra calcium is necessary throughout pregnancy for many other metabolic processes. Insufficient calcium also increases the potential for impaired fetal skeletal growth. This is a greater risk if the mother's diet is also high in protein, as many American diets are, because protein increases urinary calcium excretion.</font>
some of your iron supplements may be ferrous sulphate instead. pls see below:
<font color="ff6000">Types of Iron: Iron comes in several different forms. One of the most common forms is ferrous sulfate. Ferrous sulfate is an iron salt, meaning it is a chemical combination of an iron atom (ferrous) bonded to a sulfate group. Ferrous sulfate is the least expensive form of iron available, but it is also commonly associated with gastrointestinal (stomach) side effects. Two other types of iron salts, ferrous gluconate and ferrous fumarate, are generally better tolerated than ferrous sulfate. Carbonyl iron is made by a process in which microscopic spheres of iron are formed. Carbonyl iron is also much better tolerated than ferrous sulfate, and has the additional benefit of being much less toxic in the case of an overdose. Polysaccharide iron complex is a synthetic complex of ferric iron and carbohydrate. Polysaccharide iron complex is typically tolerated quite well by most patients, even in fairly high doses.</font>
<font color="0077aa">Common Side Effects/Patient Response to Oral Therapy: Iron can sometimes have side effects, especially when people first start taking it. Nausea, constipation, and diarrhea are the most common side effects. Stools often become discolored to a very
dark, near black color this is a normal effect of
iron therapy.
Nausea may be managed by taking the iron supplement with a small amount of food. Constipation may be avoided by ensuring a diet with plenty of fiber and water intake; additionally, it may be necessary to use a stool softener occasionally. Diarrhea, although less commonly seen, may also be managed by increasing fiber, or decreasing the dose initially, and increasing as your body becomes accustomed to an iron supplement. Most important to realize is that for the majority of people, side effects, if they occur, are transient and generally go away on their own.
Drug Interactions: Certain medications should be separated from any supplement that contains iron due to the fact that they can bind to the iron and be less effective. Examples of some medications that should be separated from an iron-containing supplement include: thyroid replacement therapy (i.e. Synthroid), tetracycline antibiotics (i.e. Sumycin), fluoroquinolone antibiotics (i.e. Cipro), and antacids (i.e. Tums). As this list is not all-inclusive, you should always check with your pharmacist if you are concerned about interactions with any of the medications that you take.</font>
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