Well Tolerated Effective Iron Supplement
I use Slow Fe for multiple reasons. (1) It is easily tolerated on an empty stomach. I have a sensitive stomach. Over two months I have had no abdominal pain. No nausea. No feeling of bloating or other discomfort. (2) Slow-release. Enables a larger daily dose to be available without it hitting my stomach like a bomb - which did happen with a larger dose of a non-slow release brand from another manufacturer. 3) Value. Its availability in bulk makes it more affordable. 4) Confidence in the brand. It has been available for years in its current form. Widely used over time. Its manufacture valid and reliable by GSK. Compare that to others who lack that name recognition. 5) Efficacy. I can trust that the dose form delivers the 45 mg of elemental iron that I want daily. 6) An easy to swallow pill which leaves no aftertaste. I have had a low ferritin without an iron deficiency Anemia. Because of other issues this conservative dose meets my needs. After two months I do feel stronger. Have less fatigue. More energy. These are subjective improvements. I also have noticed observeable differences. Better skin color. Less pallor. Faster capillary refill on my nailbeds. That said, I still know iron supplements take weeks to show an improvement in lab values. Especially ferritin. I do also notice some of the other effects of iron supplementation - like a darkening of feces - are present. Mild constipation not worse than my usual issue. About the packaging. The blister pack is not insurmontable. I have not found I required a scissors to separate a single dose. However. If I am at all not careful in peeling back the covering, that little pill gets away from me, bouncing on a tile floor to places unknown, joining the Kingdom of the Lost. Be careful. I have become increasingly aware of how diet, prescriptions & supplements interact. That becomes important with iron. Like other iron supplements, it can lower absorption of multiple medications by binding with them. Antibiotics. Biophosphanates. Others. Iron's efficacy itself can be lowered by other medications, like antacids and proton pump inhibitors (like Pepcid) which raise the gastric pH. Iron also binds to calcium supplements. Most if not all of these effects are controlled by timing the Slow Fe dose two hours before or after the other medication. Even the polyphenols in green or black tea or coffee - not the caffeine - can interfere with iron absorption. Vitamin C, like that in a glass of Orange juice can promote absorbtion. Package warnings bear repeating: If you are pregnant or nursing, talk to your doctor before use. Keep your baby safe. This is NOT intended for children. Keep it out of their reach. One of the leading causes of FATAL accidental overdose in kids under 6 is ingestion of iron containing supplements. Do NOT chew. Swallow whole with adequate liquid. Do NOT take with other iron supplements. Stick with one to best evaluate your progress and assure no untoward effects will occur. Bottom line. Do your homework about interactions. Know your medication. Know what helps or what can interfere. Review all instructions and most important - follow up with your physician during use. I highly recommend Slow Fe as an iron supplement. Predictable. Well tolerated. Effective. A good value when purchased in this bulk form
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