A lot of iron supplements are known for being stomach-friendly. Some of them can be problematic to the stomach and might cause other issues s well. But it can vary from person to person since iron affects different people differently.
The bisglycinate variation of iron is a popular iron supplement that people take and it’s mostly known to be free of stomach-related symptoms. But can cause constipation in a lot of people. Now of course if iron consumption is a big factor in getting side effects. If you’re consuming more iron, you’ll experience more side effects. Click here and try this to get rid of your constipation.
In general, if you consume roughly 30 mg of iron, you probably won’t be able to notice any possible side effects. But if the dose exceeds that amount, you’ll start noticing some side effects like constipation caused by iron consumption.
The way iron causes constipation starts up by the intestine’s duodenum which absorbs ferrous iron. But this process isn’t very efficient since some amount of ferric iron won’t be able to get absorbed, mostly the ferrous ones.
There are some technicalities here since the unabsorbed iron feeds the bad bacteria in the colon making more complications. These forms of iron are pretty hard on the digestive tract. And among other rare side effects, constipation is the most common of them all.
Too much iron consumption can cause other side effects like indigestion, bloating, or gas. Consuming liquid form of iron supplements are more stomach-friendly than solid options since it can prevent constipation.
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Also, watch the video about iron and constipation
Why Iron Consumption Is Necessary
Iron consumption is necessary since it’s one of the essential minerals that you need to consume regularly. It helps your body cells stay operational and healthy while helping with synthesizing your connective tissues and hormones.
Iron also helps you make myoglobin and hemoglobin for your body. The problem however starts from consuming iron supplements. If you already have stomach issues, it’s very common to face some stomach disturbances if you consume iron supplements. It’s also quite common if you don’t already have a stomach problem.
You can always have iron from various foods but you can’t just go around eating iron-enriched foods when you already are having iron deficiency. You’ll need a more focused and direct source for iron to deal with iron deficiency.
And there are different iron products and different forms of it come from different iron sources. If you’re consuming natural foods with iron sources, chances are that you won’t really feel any noticeable side effects. These foods are beans, lentils, chickpeas, peas, and soybeans.
But it becomes somehow a problem for your stomach when you start taking iron supplements since they’re particularly hard on your gut and cause several side effects. The most common of them all is constipation. So down below, we’ll talk about how to deal with constipation caused by iron supplements. If you suffer from constipation try this flavorless nutrient to start pooping again.
How Do You Stop Constipation When Taking Iron Tablets?
A lot of iron tablets don’t exactly cause any stomach disturbances and they’re mostly the slow-release forms of iron. Although they have their own share of disadvantages. The primary reason includes the part of your intestine which absorbs iron the best.
When you take the slow-release forms of iron supplements, they are absorbed slowly and a lot of times they don’t get absorbed at all. So, it becomes pretty useless to take those supplements for a lot of patients.
That’s why there are ways you can use to have a fast-paced variation of iron supplement without getting to deal with constipation and we’ll talk about it right here. The easiest way to deal with iron absorption-related constipation is to drink plenty of fluids and keep yourself hydrated.
Another very basic way to deal with constipation when taking iron tablets is to change your diet before having iron supplements by adding fiber-enriched food. You can eat whole-grain foods and vegetables to stop constipation too and it can work perfectly, or have a look at this nutrient that can make you poop like never before.
The most common vegetables you can have is adding cucumbers, carrots, celery, and zucchini to your diet plan.
Although keep in mind to consume these foods at a slower pace since these foods can indeed increase intestinal gas.
You can also take an alternative route by taking fiber supplements and always remember to take low doses at first. But another important part you have to remember is that you shouldn’t take fiber supplements if your constipation condition is more severe.
Because a serious condition of constipation can be temporarily worsened by fiber supplements and you probably should take a doctor’s advice if that’s the case.
If you’re taking multivitamins that contain iron, you can try other different ways to deal with constipation as well. If your constipation condition is not serious, you can of course try the basic methods by increasing fiber and fluid intake. Besides that, you can try exercising a bit which is a natural way to stimulate bowel movement. Now, of course, you can use other methods as well.
You can use osmotic laxatives for a short time to deal with these constipation problems. They’re very effective in softening your stool and taking care of your constipation.
If none of them are working enough for you, you can always change the way you’re getting your iron from. There are examples of getting your iron infused.
The easiest way you can take is that you can have a liquid form of iron which is best for not causing constipation, But of course, the amount should always be moderate on how much you are consuming them.
You can also consider enteric-coating iron supplements which cause very low stomach disturbances and will be very helpful if you’re getting too many side effects.
But keep that in mind that these kinds of iron supplements don’t exactly get absorbed properly by your intestine and you might need to take them for a long time compared to other iron supplements.
Why Does Iron Cause Constipation?
Constipation is the most common side effect you can experience if you’re taking iron supplements. That’s because iron supplements are pretty hard on your digestive tract and it causes GI disturbances. Now it differs from people since the side effects also include diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.
The main reason how iron causes these stomach disturbances do vary. One of the most common reasons is that iron supplements affect our gut and they feed the harmful bacterias living in our intestines. And then these harmful bacterias cause us gas, bloating, and most importantly, constipation.
There was also a study that shows that iron supplements also cause oxidative damages to the intestines which causes inflammation in the gut and that promotes more constipation. To get your bowels moving again after taking iron supplements get this nutrient and you will see results immediately.
What Are The Side Effects Of Taking Iron?
Constipation and Diarrhea
The most common side effects of consuming iron are having constipation and diarrhea. You probably won’t experience both of them but if constipation becomes a problem, you should take some methods we’ve discussed to lessen the issue at hand.
Nausea and Vomiting
If you’re taking iron in higher doses, then you might be experiencing nausea and vomiting. But you can reduce the severity of your side effects by reducing the dose of your iron intake.
Changes In Stool Appearance
Taking iron tablets can cause black stools and it’s a pretty normal side effect. It’s not a serious sign and it’s said to be a good sign that indicates that the iron supplement is working properly. But the side effects can be a bit worrisome if your stool is tarry-looking along with being black. Other side effects include having red streaks on your stool.
GI Disturbances
There are some painful side effects from taking iron supplements that include stomach cramps that can be accompanied by sharp pains. You can also feel soreness in your stomach.
Teeth Issues
If you take the liquid form of iron for a bit long, it can start staining your teeth.
Are All Iron Supplements Constipating?
Not all iron supplements cause constipation and there are some alternatives you can take to reduce your condition of constipation. There are several options of iron supplements you can choose from to work with your condition.
The most common type of them all is the type of supplements that comes from ferric iron salts. That includes ferrous gluconate and ferrous sulfate supplements. The problem is that they are the supplements that are more likely to cause you constipation so you should probably avoid them if you’re somehow certain that it can affect you.
The type of iron supplements you should be taking are the ones that are gentle to your GI tract and can help prevent constipation. They are:
- Carbonyl Iron
- Heme Iron Polypeptides
- Polysaccharide-iron Complexes
- Iron Amino Acid Chelates
Do Iron Supplements Make Poop Smell?
The short answer is that certain iron supplements can cause your poop to have a metallic smell. Iron supplements cause other stomach problems such as heartburn, diarrhea, nausea, and cramps. They change your poop in some different ways including looks and smell.
Iron pills change the color of your poop to be grayish-black or sometimes greenish. And along with that, it can have a sort of metallic smell. Which is sort of normal unless you’re actually experiencing internal bleeding with your poop.
Because that’s the same kind of color you may experience with your poop when you have internal bleeding which can be serious. So, it’s always better to tell your doctor about the changes you may experience in your stool.