Proferrin ES Heme Iron Polypeptide Dietary Supplement Tablets, Blue/Green, 90 Count, Basic

MIRACULOUS!!! In 2 months, ferritin went from 14 to 47, iron from 30 to 80, hemoglobin from 12.1 to 13.5!

My hemoglobin levels have been in the "normal" range for quite some time, but my serum ferritin levels have been low for many years. I just didn't know it was such a serious issue until I was diagnosed with PLMD or PLMS (Periodic Limb Movement Disorder) in the summer of 2014. My sleep doctor recommended that my primary care physician check my serum ferritin level and that it should be at least 50-60 to mitigate the effects of having PLMD (or restless leg). My ferritin level came back--9! This is considered "normal" on the bloodwork, but not in journal articles. They frequently mention low ferritin as a possible cause of many issues like depression, fatigue, restless leg, thyroid problems, etc. I ate a bunch of meat that summer into fall--like every day for four months--and my level increased to 12. Then I tried other iron supplements: iron bisglycinate, dessicated beef liver pills, Floradix, Hema-plex, Ferrasorb, etc., for almost a year. The ferritin increased to 15. I felt like I was getting nowhere. Then in the middle of the night during one of my awake periods earlier this year (2016), I was researching PLMD and restless leg journal studies desperately searching for an answer. I came across a journal article that said that heme iron worked a lot better than non-heme iron and patient ferritin levels increased dramatically in a short period of time. I googled heme-iron supplements in the US and found Proferrin. I thought it couldn't hurt because my iron had been tested mid-February and had gone back down to 14. I felt like I had to do something, but it's kind of expensive, so I started with this 30 pill bottle. I bought it on March 12. It arrived on the 14th. I started taking 1-2 pills a day until I had my blood checked again on May 19th. My serum ferritin level had increased from 14 to 47!!!!!!!! My hemoglobin had increased from 12.1 to 13.5 and iron was up from 30 to 80! Very impressive results. Now, I order the bottle of 90! Proferrin ES Heme Iron Polypeptide Dietary Supplement Tablets, Blue/Green, 90 Count . I had surgery in June and lost a lot of blood, so I am taking it again...this time 2-3 pills per day. I also take iron cofactors--B12 (hydroxocobalamin) and methylfolate (L-5-MTHF). I don't know if those help, but I've taken them before with other iron supplements and never had my iron levels get up so high! So I would highly recommend this iron supplement...especially if you're a menstruating woman who's ferritin level is below 50

138 persons found it helpful

No stomach upset!

I am constantly fighting anemia and must be on supplements due to diet and being a highly active female. I have tried all other iron supplements, but every single one caused gastrointestinal upsets. Last year I had to revert to iron infusions as supplements were not working. I tried this as a last resort and it has been amazing! My ferritin increased from 12 to 25 in 10 weeks just taking 1-2 pills per day. And most importantly, no stomach upset. Would definitely recommend these. Update: Feritin is now up to 70 with just two pills a day. Can't recommend this product enough

82 persons found it helpful

Increases ferritin. Zero side effects. Take 3 daily, cut pills to facilitate disintegration.

23 days of proferrin, and my ferritin has gone from 18 to 32. No side effects to speak of, except that I can run with energy again. It is such a gift to feel my strength again, like youth. I'm continuing with this. I was taking iron bis-glycinate, but while effective when taken on an empty stomach, I felt like I had swallowed a balloon. When I took iron bis-glycinate with meals (away from calcium), it was not effective after 4 months of use. I take proferrin with meat stock first thing in the morning; apparently it absorbs better in the presence of amino acids: "free amino acids as cysteine, lysine and histidine enhanced heme and ionic Fe absorption in experimental models". Also iron absorption is apparently not sensitive to calcium in doses of less than 800 mg at a time. "Calcium does not inhibit the absorption of 5 milligrams of nonheme or heme iron at doses less than 800 milligrams". Where other forms of iron are inhibited by phytates and polyphenols, heme iron is not. Lastly, I understand (hopefully correctly) that heme iron may cause less oxidative stress than other forms. I hope that as a result, it lowers the risk of Alzheimer's disease associated with iron supplementation. Update: I was taking 1 pill per day at the time of this review. Since then my ferritin levels dropped to 20, so I began taking 2 per day. Fortunately I did this without any gastrointestinal upset, but unfortunately, 2/day only brought my ferritin up to 21 (I got this blood test result back today). Iron repletion is obviously extraordinarily complex. I'm baffled by it. Update July 2018: My ferritin dropped to 20, then to 17, 13, and finally to 10 while taking approximately 7 proferrin per week. During that time I tried alternating schedules, taking it with broth, lactoferrin, pepsin. Nothing worked. Once my ferritin had dropped to 10, I decided to take 30 mg per day, which is apparently the max you can take without causing expression of Hepcidin (prevents the uptake of iron). Also, I had been inspecting my stool (I know, gross...) and found pockets of dry black powder from undissolved proferrin pills. These pills look like black charcoal on the inside, which is probably why the coat is colored (green). Obviously absorption won't happen if they haven't dissolved. I started taking 3 pills (30 mgs) each morning, all at once, on an empty stomach, away from calcium. Most importantly, I cut each pill in half before taking, which seemed to help disintegration because I found no more black powder in stools. As a result, my ferritin climbed back up to 17 after 1 month of this routine. I'll continue checking ferritin levels each month until it has reached a steady state. Hopefully no more downturns. Update November 2018: My monthly ferritin levels have continued to rise on the schedule of three pills per day, cut, on an empty stomach, and away from calcium. Here are my ferritin results (ng/ml): August (16), September (21), October (25), and November (40). Awesome. Feeling so much better

73 persons found it helpful

After I started using it I had some real bad reactions to it

WARNING - this stuff has artificial colors in it! After I started using it I had some real bad reactions to it, and it turns out I am sensitive/allergic to FD&C Yellow #5 (tartrazine) which this contains. I really wanted to like this but had to throw the bottle out! They need to make a version of it without the additives in it, who cares what color it is

72 persons found it helpful

Best Iron Supplement I've Used (and I've used many)

Within a month of regularly taking the supplement, my energy levels have improved and my hair has gotten thicker. I have been anemic for a long time, and I have tried various supplements like Gaia and Floradix Liquid Iron, Feosol Slow Absorb, Solgar, Blood Builder, etc. etc. All of these supplements gave me terrible reflux (I also have a sensitive gut) and constipation to the point where I felt like my body was not absorbing nutrients properly. I also tried Beef Liver capsules, but they made me feel really wired. I had a couple of transfusions but that's really not a permanent solution. My iron levels would regularize after the transfusion and start dropping soon after. Also I did not notice an improvement in my hair with transfusions. Proferrin has worked really well for me. I TAKE IT WITH VITAMIN C (MEGAFOOD CHEWABLE VIT C), and don't have any side effects. Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions. I know how challenging it can be to find the right iron supplement (especially if you have a sensitive gut), so happy to help in any way I can. Good luck

67 persons found it helpful

These actually work!

I have spent the last 6 years trying to increase my serum ferritin. Doctor prescribed elemental iron did very little (raised my ferritin from 6 to the teens over the course of A year and a half until one day my stomach could not tolerate it). Other forms of iron (glycinate, aspartate, etc.) taken over the course of 6 months did nothing. I was able to increase my serum ferritin with iron infusions, but at the cost of $1200 per year and by the end of the year they had mostly worn off leaving me at a level of around 12. Feeling as if my reserves were running low I had my iron checked Oct. 11. I was at 36 - not bad, but definitely lower than 6 months earlier after my last round of IV infusions. I started taking ProFerrin 2x a day for about 3 weeks. Then I went on vacation and quit taking them. Resumed taking them at 3x a day for the last few weeks. I have taken a total of 62 pills. Had my serum ferritin measured yesterday, Dec. 19. It's a 54. For me that increase is miraculous from a supplement. If you are wondering I changed nothing in my diet. I am f, 40's, anemic as a child and probably undiagnosed anemic as an adult

63 persons found it helpful

Absorbs well, but has artificial additives.

I have tried several iron supplements in the past, but this is the first one that my system has been able to absorb, and that has not caused constipation. The only drawback is they use several synthetic fillers and dyes

48 persons found it helpful

So far, so good. No stomach upset and still feeling good.

I have to take iron supplements twice a day, which has helped pull my HGB up from 7.2 last year. (BTW, do NOT take as much iron as I do without medical oversight! I am following doctor's orders and am having periodic bloodwork---I was really, really anemic!). I have been feeling much better, not realizing how much the anemia had been impacting me until getting the HGB up to almost 12. But, the iron I was taking (Slow FE) was wreaking such havoc on my digestion that I could barely function from that side effect. So, I switched to taking this Proferrin ES once and the Slow FE once per day. I have been doing this for almost a month and my stomach is much, much better. But, I haven't had my iron studies done yet to make sure that my iron levels aren't slipping so I cannot comment scientifically as to its effectiveness. The only drawback for me is that as I understand it, these are not vegetarian and I am (or I guess I have to say, "I was") a vegetarian for over 30 years. If my blood levels do show that they're working, however, I'm willing to pay that small price to be able to stand up without feeling faint and to have peace in my tummy

43 persons found it helpful

This will save you money plus you will get better iron absorption

This will save you money plus you will get better iron absorption. Timing is the key to optimize your iron absorption. My ferritin levels were at a very low level of a 6. To improve my levels I read a lot of information on the internet and I wish I had this bit of information before I started taking iron supplements. You will feel better on ProFerrin if you take it this way and your ferritin level will rise higher. 1. Take this iron supplement every other day. Lots of studies have proven that this is the best way to see an increase your iron absorption by 15%. As soon as you take an iron pill, your hepcidin level rises for 24 hours. An increase in hepcidin levels, decreases iron absorption. Taking it every other day, you will have better iron absorption than taking it every day. 2. Delay your iron supplement intake by at least 6 hours after you exercise. If you exercise in the morning, don't take your pill in the morning. Exercising causes a rise in hepcidin levels and will prevent iron absorption. 3. Do not eat eggs with your iron pill. Eggs contain an iron binding compound that blocks iron absorption by 28%. 4. On days you don't exercise, eat iron rich meals, that contain heme to optimize iron absorption. Also consume acidic foods such as citrus, tomatoes, and red peppers on these days. 5. Drink orange juice when taking your iron pill. 6. Avoid dairy products when taking your iron pill. Calcium, phosphorous, zinc, or magnesium compete for the same binding sites as iron

39 persons found it helpful

Don't waste your time with other irons

Other iron supplements are the market are non-heme. Did you know this? I didn't. This is one of the *only* heme irons on the market and therefore better absorbed. I feel entirely different taking this iron than any other supplement. I'm relieved knowing that there is an end to all the fatigue, lack of zest for life, lack of concentration, motivation, sleep, and ability to exercise. I've struggled with low iron my entire life and this is the only supplement I've tried that I can tolerate and feel working. I take it 2x daily. The first three days I had some heartburn and some general "off" feelings, but pushed through it and now I don't have any sides. This is it, from now on

38 persons found it helpful

Proferrin ES Heme Iron Polypeptide

148 Reviews

MIRACULOUS!!! In 2 months, ferritin went from 14 to 47, iron from 30 to 80, hemoglobin from 12.1 to 13.5!

No stomach upset!

Increases ferritin. Zero side effects. Take 3 daily, cut pills to facilitate disintegration.

After I started using it I had some real bad reactions to it

Best Iron Supplement I've Used (and I've used many)

These actually work!

Absorbs well, but has artificial additives.

So far, so good. No stomach upset and still feeling good.

This will save you money plus you will get better iron absorption

Don't waste your time with other irons