Dr Karan Raj, an NHS GP, says that you may need to delay what time you take your tablets at
An NHS GP has warned people that they need to delay taking certain tablets until hours after they have consumed common breakfast items, as it could hinder its affect. Taking to TikTok, Dr Karan Raj has warned that “there’s one very important thing you need to know if you’re prescribed iron supplements which can impact your treatment and how you absorb it.”
According to the doctor, “if you consume too much calcium, either in supplement form or in food, this can actually impact the iron absorption. And if your dietary iron is already low, this could lead to a deficiency”.
This happens as “calcium competes with iron for absorption in your intestines. High calcium also has an impact on your body’s ability to absorb non heme iron”. This is the type of iron found in many plant based foods, he explains.
This is why it’s suggested to take iron tablets with a source of Vitamin C to improve absorption and you can buy these tablets for as little as £2 from the likes of Asda, meaning for a 180 tablet bottle it’s just 1.1p. On the other hand, however, “calcium salts like calcium carbonate, which is commonly found in heartburn and indigestion remedies, are alkaline which can hinder iron absorption.”
This means that when it comes to breakfast, the doctor says that you should be taking “calcium and iron at different times of the day, at least a few hours apart. So if you’re drinking milk, eating yoghurt, or consuming any calcium-rich food, consider delaying your iron supplement by a few hours.”
If you are being treated for iron deficiency anaemia, the GP urges people to ask their doctor, if they’re not already doing it, to have your calcium levels checked on a regular basis.
What are the signs and symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia?
Symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia can include:
- tiredness and lack of energy
- shortness of breath
- noticeable heartbeats (heart palpitations)
- paler than usual skin
- headaches
Less common symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia (that are not usually connected to pregnancy) include:
- hearing ringing, buzzing or hissing noises inside your head (tinnitus)
- food tasting strange
- feeling itchy
- a sore tongue
- hair loss – you notice more hair coming out when brushing or washing it
- wanting to eat non-food items, such as paper or ice (pica)
- finding it hard to swallow (dysphagia)
- painful open sores (ulcers) in the corners of your mouth
- nail changes, such as spoon-shaped nails
- restless legs syndrome
The NHS warn parents who are taking these supplements to ensure their children cannot touch them, cautioning: “Keep iron supplement tablets out of the reach of children. An overdose of iron in a young child can be fatal.”
Food and drinks to eat and avoid
Eat more:
- dark-green leafy vegetables like watercress and curly kale
- cereals and bread with extra iron in them (fortified)
- meat
- dried fruit like apricots, prunes and raisins
- pulses (beans, peas and lentils)
Eat and drink less:
- tea
- coffee
- milk and dairy
- foods with high levels of phytic acid, such as wholegrain cereals, which can stop your body absorbing iron from other foods and tablets
“Large amounts of these foods and drinks make it harder for your body to absorb iron”, the NHS adds.
