Halloween is near and may it be spooky!!
You will notice a handful of appearance changes on Dr. Alice Talks. Don’t be shy, take a look around, explore the new widgets, and check out below in this post the new shop features that will be launched on November 1st. This is a “rehearsal with costumes” to give you a flavor of the future browsing experience in Dr. Alice’s Shop. As you hover over any of the product images in the table below, regardless of where you are, your location will determine the specific Amazon Marketplace that is closer to you and will report the up-to-date product option and price in the region where you shop. Since not all products are always available everywhere, I did my very best to identify each region’s closest similar product. Let me know your thoughts and share your experience. As always, I look forward to hearing back from you all!
As promised, this last week I put together a list of iron and vitamin C products that I am sharing in this post for your convenience (items will also be available in Dr. Alice’s Shop starting on Nov 1st). Review carefully and remember to avoid guessing when shopping for supplements or over-the-counter medications. Contact me with any questions or seek clinical advice as often as necessary. If the product is not available in your region and you need help with a custom-designed regimen, contact me with your specific situation.
| Dr. Alice’s Recommendation** | Product Link |
|---|---|
| These lollipops are a very enjoyable way for kids and parents (or adults of any kind for that matter) to get their vitamin C. They contain 60mg of vitamin C each, which is 100% of the daily recommended value, and can really deliver that amount through your mouth mucosa, instead of your stomach and intestines – thus you will absorb most of the given dose of 60mg. IMPORTANT INFO: given the mucosal-delivery design, only minimal amounts of this product will make it to the stomach; hence this product will NOT improve iron absorption if taken at the same time with iron supplements. |
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| This product contains vitamin C loaded phospholipid liposomes. Think of it as a container that protects vitamin C from being metabolized by the bacteria in your intestine and delivers it to your intestinal cells without the need for active transporters. This ensures that the entire dose actually makes it into your body. With regular vitamin C formulations, half or less of the given dose will be absorbed. While, to my knowledge, no formal trials have been conducted for vitamin C, liposomal formulations are successfully used to enhance delivery of many other meds. With the increased absorption being a consequence of the liposome itself and not of its content, the Lypo-Spheric Vitamin C is equipped deliver to your body more than any other standard tablet. IMPORTANT INFO: given the mucosal-delivery design, only minimal amounts of this product will make it to the stomach; hence this product will NOT improve iron absorption if taken at the same time with iron supplements. |
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| These vitamin C tablets deliver a larger dose of vitamin C through the oral mucosa without the acid burning normally associated with the direct contact of the ascorbic acid on the mucosa. They contain a form of buffered vitamin C that is less acidic than regular vitamin C and protects the oral lining while taking advantage of the fast and complete absorption through the mouth mucosa. This bypasses stomach and intestine transporters rate-absorption limitations and avoids the vitamin C metabolization and inactivation by the gut microbiota. Nonetheless, there are some things to keep in mind when considering this product: buffered vitamin C contains about 23mg of sodium per tablet (~1% sodium DV and ~1.5% sodium DV for a reduced sodium diet). It also contains lactose. IMPORTANT INFO: given the mucosal-delivery design, only minimal amounts of this product will make it to the stomach; hence this product will NOT improve iron absorption if taken at the same time with iron supplements. | |
| Recommended for periodical iron replenishment in young women, less for anemia treatment. My position on 2x/3x daily administration is this: if once daily is insufficient, then you need a different form of iron! May upset stomach more than iron bisglycinate, but less than fumarate or polysaccharide. Take in the morning with orange juice or lemonade on an empty stomach. Having it with white bread toast or regular crackers is OK, with wheat bread is not OK. If taking it with water instead of OJ/lemonade, then add 500mg vitamin C to help meet the same absorption requirements. Check out my post on this matter and also read my recommendation for each vitamin C product to find out which one is suitable for administration with iron. Absolutely no coffee or tea within 2hr of taking this supplement, consider caffeine gum instead; no milk or dairy product either. | |
| A uniquely compounded mix for child vitamin and iron supplementation. In addition to being a great source of elemental iron, it is also a good supply of vitamins A, most important Bs, D, and E. Of note, since designed for infants and toddlers, you will notice bran in its composition. While I would never recommend such mix for teens or adults, in young children, this constituent adds an extra line of safety against the risk of iron poisoning. This means that the child will absorb less than the amount indicated in the label. Remember this and, expect several months until anemia will resolve. A higher dose of this product may be administered, but only under the supervision of a clinician. Never take this upon yourself, Mom! If the child does not seem to appreciate the taste, remember not to mix it with milk or formula. Orange juice, lemonade or apple juice are all good and safe options that will not interfere with the absorption of iron. | |
| Recommended for periodical iron replenishment in young women, less for anemia treatment given the low amount provided. Iron is supplemented together with folate and B12 vitamin, to ensure balanced supplies for a new red blood cells generation. This product may upset stomach, however less than most iron formulations on the market. This supplement is not expected to cause constipation. Since it is formulated with vitamin C, it does not have to be taken with orange juice or lemonade and it does not require additional vitamin C for absorption. Having it with white bread toast or regular crackers is OK. While the beet root may provide sufficient phytase to degrade the bran in the wheat bread, I would still not recommend wheat bread toast or crackers. Check out my post on this matter. Absolutely no coffee or tea within 2hr of taking this supplement, consider caffeine gum instead; no milk or dairy product either. | |
| Recommended for periodical iron replenishment in young women, less for anemia treatment given the low amount provided. This product may upset stomach, however less than most iron formulations on the market. This supplement is not expected to cause constipation. Take in the morning with orange juice or lemonade on an empty stomach. Having it with white bread toast or regular crackers is OK, with wheat bread is not OK. If taking it with water instead of OJ/lemonade, then add 500mg vitamin C to help meet the same absorption requirements. Check out my post on this matter and also read my recommendation for each vitamin C product to find out which one is suitable for administration with iron. Absolutely no coffee or tea within 2hr of taking this supplement, consider caffeine gum instead; no milk or dairy product either. | |
| Recommended for periodical iron replenishment in young women, less for anemia treatment given the low amount provided. As compared to the other version of iron bisglycinate from Thorne Research, this supplement provides slightly more iron and also folate, B6, and B12, to ensure balanced supplies for a new red blood cells generation. This product may upset stomach, however less than most iron formulations on the market and is not expected to cause constipation. Since it is formulated with vitamin C, it does not have to be taken with orange juice or lemonade and it does not require additional vitamin C for absorption. Having it with white bread toast or regular crackers is OK, with wheat bread is not OK. Check out my post on this matter. Absolutely no coffee or tea within 2hr of taking this supplement, consider caffeine gum instead; no milk or dairy product either. | |
| This is a vegetarian-recommended product for periodical iron replenishment in individuals with lower iron requirements, such as peri-menopausal women. Given the very low amount provided, this product is not recommended for anemia treatment. It is not expected to cause constipation and will have a minimal impact on the stomach. I was surprised by the label directions to take with food. I strongly encourage you to take it in the morning with orange juice or lemonade on an empty stomach. Having it with white bread toast or regular crackers is OK, with wheat bread is not OK. If taking it with water instead of OJ/lemonade, then add 500mg vitamin C to help meet the same absorption requirements. Check out my post on this matter and also read my recommendation for each vitamin C product to find out which one is suitable for administration with iron. Absolutely no coffee or tea within 2hr of taking this supplement, consider caffeine gum instead; no milk or dairy product either. | |
| A product recommended for rather regular iron replenishment in young women, not for anemia treatment. As compared to the other versions of iron, this supplement provides a very unique mix of raw constituents, including enzymes, fruit and vegetable fiber and probiotics. This carbonyl iron supplement provides also folate and B12 vitamin to ensure a balanced supply for new red blood cells production. The enzymes load provides this product with a significant potential to prevent iron complexation and elimination (thus minimal to no constipation), while the fiber load lowers the impact on the stomach. Since it is formulated with vitamin C, it does not have to be taken with orange juice or lemonade and it does not require additional vitamin C for absorption. Having it on an empty stomach is less important given the enzymatic load in each capsule. In theory, drinking coffee or tea while taking this product should be OK. | |
| This iron formulation delivers a higher amount of elemental iron, is recommended for anemia treatment and not for routine supplementation. Symptoms of stomach upset and constipation are much more likely as compared to other iron supplements. I strongly encourage you to take it in the morning with orange juice or lemonade on an empty stomach. You may having it with white bread toast or regular crackers. Wheat bread is not entirely contraindicated, but it will decrease the effectiveness of this supplement and will also increase the risk of constipation. If taking it with water instead of OJ/lemonade, then add 500mg vitamin C to help meet the same absorption requirements. Check out my post on this matter and also read my recommendation for each vitamin C product to find out which one is suitable for administration with iron. Absolutely no coffee or tea within 2hr of taking this supplement, consider caffeine gum instead; no milk or dairy product either. Any and all of these prohibited options will decrease the amount of iron absorbed, increase the risk of constipation, and prologed the state of anemia with often severe consequences. | |
| This iron formulation delivers a higher amount of elemental iron, is recommended for anemia treatment and not for routine supplementation. Symptoms of stomach upset and constipation are much more likely as compared to other iron supplements. I strongly encourage you to take it in the morning with orange juice or lemonade on an empty stomach. You may having it with white bread toast or regular crackers. Wheat bread is not entirely contraindicated, but it will decrease the effectiveness of this supplement and will also increase the risk of constipation. If taking it with water instead of OJ/lemonade, then add 500mg vitamin C to help meet the same absorption requirements. Check out my post on this matter and also read my recommendation for each vitamin C product to find out which one is suitable for administration with iron. Absolutely no coffee or tea within 2hr of taking this supplement, consider caffeine gum instead; no milk or dairy product either. Any and all of these prohibited options will decrease the amount of iron absorbed, increase the risk of constipation, and prologed the state of anemia with often severe consequences. | |
| These vitamin C tablets are expected to deliver less than the listed dose due to the transporter absorption rate limitations and the metabolization and inactivation caused by the gut microbiota. They are not the best source of vitamin C; nonetheless, they are expected to improve iron absorption if taken at the same time with iron supplements. | |
| These vitamin C tablets are expected to deliver less than the listed dose due to the transporter absorption rate limitations and the metabolization and inactivation caused by the gut microbiota. They are not the best source of vitamin C; nonetheless, they are expected to improve iron absorption if taken at the same time with iron supplements. |
**These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. None of these products is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Dr. Alice Talks is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated site.
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