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If you have iron deficiency anemia, talk with your doctor about taking iron supplement pills and eating foods high in iron. You may be able to prevent iron deficiency anemia by following the recommended dietary allowance for iron. Iron-rich foods include meats (especially beef liver), eggs, and whole-grain or iron-fortified foods. Iron is also found in many foods including peas, beans, oatmeal, prunes, and figs.

To get the most benefit from your iron pills and the iron content of your food:

• Take vitamin C (ascorbic acid) or drink orange juice with your pills.
• Steam vegetables to help them retain their iron content.
• Use iron pots for cooking.

Do not take your iron pills:

• Within 2 hours of taking antacids or tetracycline (an antibiotic).
• With certain foods, chemicals, and nutrients. These include:
  • Tea, coffee, chocolate, and other food or beverages high in caffeine.
  • Milk and other calcium-rich foods or supplements.
  • High-fiber foods, such as bran, whole grains, nuts, and raw green vegetables.

In some people, iron supplements can cause stomach discomfort, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, and black stool. Iron is best absorbed if taken on an empty stomach, but if you are having stomach problems, you may need to take the pills with food.

If you think you have anemia, do not take iron pills without talking with your doctor. If the iron loss is from intestinal bleeding, taking iron pills may delay the diagnosis of a serious problem such as a bleeding ulcer or colon cancer. If the anemia is not due to iron deficiency, taking iron pills will not relieve the anemia and may cause poisoning (iron toxicity) or iron overload (hemochromatosis).

Keep iron tablets out of the reach of small children. Iron poisoning can be very dangerous.

Preventing iron deficiency

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the following to develop and maintain normal iron levels in infants and young children:¹

• Breast-feed infants if possible. It is best to breast-feed for 4 to 6 months after birth without using other foods or liquids. Use iron-fortified formulas if you do not breast-feed or if you only partially breast-feed.
• After 4 to 6 months of age, in addition to breast milk or iron-supplemented formula, a child needs 2 to 3 servings of iron-rich foods a day. Iron-fortified cereals are a good source.
• Use iron-fortified foods for infants when they are no longer breast-feeding.
• Do not give cow's milk or goat's milk to children younger than 12 months of age. Children 1 to 5 years old should drink no more than 24 fl oz (710 mL) a day of these milks, which are low in iron.

If you are pregnant, your doctor will test your iron level at your first prenatal visit, and he or she will give you prenatal vitamins that include iron (30 mg a day). If you are anemic, your doctor will give you a higher-dose pill to take.