Ferrotrate

KENT'S TIPS

• Iron status must first be assessed by a health care practitioner before supplementation is considered

NutriChem Ferrotrate is an iron supplement designed for maximum absorption in patients with iron deficiency.  Iron is an elemental trace mineral, a metal which is naturally-occurring in animal, vegetable and mineral substances. 

Why take iron?
Iron is essential to the transfer of oxygen from the bloodstream to all of the body's cells.  Iron accomplishes this by becoming part of red blood cells (hemoglobin), which transport oxygen from the lungs to the tissues of the body.  Since iron is a component of the special enzymes involved in energy production, our energy level drops when our stores of this mineral decline below required amount.  Not surprisingly then, fatigue is the textbook symptom of inadequate iron levels, reflecting a lack of oxygen and an excess of carbon dioxide.

Who benefits from iron?
Iron supplementation is vital to the correction of anemia, a diagnosed medical condition describing an inadequate supply of oxygen-carrying hemoglobin in the blood.  This condition promotes symptoms of fatigue, loss of endurance, headaches, pale skin, depression, sleeping difficulties and a general lack of well-being.  Often, performance and mood are affected before clinical anemia occurs.  There are several types of anemia, each having different causes and solutions; however, iron deficiency is the most common cause.

Those at highest risk of iron deficiency include infants under the age of two, teenage girls (due to heavy menstrual bleeding), pregnant women, and the elderly.  Up to sixty percent of pregnant women are at risk of iron deficiency and advised by their doctors to take an iron supplement.  Meanwhile, older individuals are at higher risk because stomach acidity declines with age, resulting in decreased iron absorption capacity.  Regular and inappropriate antacid use only magnifies the problem.  Conditions which involve internal bleeding, such as ulcerative colitis, stomach and duodenal ulcers as well as Crohn's disease warrant iron supplementation during flare-ups to restore energy.  Athletes may require extra iron to meet their physical demands.  Vegetarians are more prone to deficiency due to the fact that plant sources of iron are not as absorbable as heme iron from meats (Murray and Pizzorno 1998, 238).

Assessing Iron Status
In any case, iron should only be supplemented under the supervision of a qualified health care practitioner who has identified iron deficiency by measuring ferritin - the storage form of iron.  This blood test tells us more than the conventional hemoglobin count test, since it is a deficiency of stored iron that matters most to energy and vitality.  Your doctor will be looking for iron levels near 100mcg/L to rule out iron-deficiency anemia.

Formulated for Maximum Absorption
Iron is one of the most difficult minerals to absorb.  In fact, when unabsorbed iron is eliminated through the colon, symptoms such as gas and constipation may occur.  This is why Ferrotrate has two special features which make it effective, with virtually no side effects.  Firstly, Ferrotrate is chelated (attached) to rice protein for improved cellular uptake through the gastrointestinal walls.  Secondly, Ferrotrate in encapsulated with vitamin C to aid iron absorption by contributing the acid it requires to be dissolved, the resulting product is an effective, easily absorbed mineral, useful for maintenance of iron status in the body.

Free of Common Allergens
NutriChem's Ferrotrate is encapsulated without unnecessary fillers.  There is no wheat, yeast, soy, dairy, sugar or gluten in the product, making it safe for those with sensitivities or allergies to these substances.

DIRECTIONS:
Take 1 capsule daily or as directed by your physician.
Note:  For adult therapeutic use only
Special Notes:  Take iron at least 4 hours away from calcium supplements to maximize absorption.  Take only under supervision, as directed.
Caution:  There is enough iron in this package to seriously harm a child.  Store out of children's reach.

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS:     
Each capsule contains:
Iron (HVP* chelate)        27mg
Vitamin C                    110mg
*Hydrolysed vegetable protein

INACTIVE INGREDIENTS:
Microcrystalline Cellulose

KEYWORDS:          
Ferrotrate, iron, iron deficiency, trace mineral, oxygen, red blood cells, hemoglobin, transport, enzymes, energy production, stores, fatigue, carbon dioxide, anemia, loss of endurance, headaches, pale skin, depression, sleeping difficulties, lack of well-being, infants, teenage girls, menstrual bleeding, pregnancy, elderly, stomach acidity, internal bleeding, ulcerative colitis, stomach ulcers, duodenal ulcers, Crohn's disease, athletes, vegetarians, plant sources, heme iron, meat, ferritin, vitamin C

CONDITIONS:         
Anemia, fatigue, loss of endurance, headaches, pale skin, depression, sleeping difficulties and a general lack of well-being, heavy menstrual bleeding, pregnancy, regular antacid use, ulcerative colitis, stomach and duodenal ulcers, and Crohn's disease.  Infants under the age of two, the elderly, athletes and vegetarians are also at risk of iron deficiency.