10 Million Americans Are Deficient In This Mineral: Are You One Of Them?

If you struggle with tiredness, shortness of breath, or a pale complexion (in the middle of summer)—it may be time to take a closer look at your iron intake and levels. Even if you're on top of iron-rich foods like meats and/or plant-based sources like lentils and spinach, or taking an iron supplement, the thing is: Iron is infamously tricky to absorb (especially from plant food sources). When it comes to iron, absorption is the new conversation. 

If you're suspecting an iron deficiency, or want to proactively manage your iron levels, iron supplementation can help.* But don't just grab the first iron supplement you see. Many iron supplements are commonly associated with unpleasant gastrointestinal side effects that affect digestion and regularity (i.e., in this case, reducing bowel movement frequency), which is why choosing the right iron supplement matters. Flora's new iron supplement, Ferritin+, has completely changed the way we're thinking about iron.

Considering how much iron our body is capable of storing at one time (600 to 1,000 mg for adult men, and 200 to 300 mg for women3), it seems surprising that iron would be so hard to absorb. But many of the foods and drinks we consume in our regular diet (even a healthy one) can interfere with the natural process of iron absorption. The tannins in your coffee and/or tea4, high amounts of calcium from dairy, soy proteins, phytates in cereals4 and nuts, and beans can all inhibit the optimal process of iron absorption.

Even with certain iron supplements, dietary factors can still impede your body's ability to absorb iron. Or you may have to monitor other factors like ascorbic acid (vitamin C), as this nutrient has been shown to enhance the absorption of nonheme iron5. But because of the ferritin protein cage, we don't have to navigate any of these dietary difficulties with Ferritin+. No matter what your diet looks like, your body enjoys an absorption advantage with Ferritin+.* (And while vitamin C still helps, you don't have to worry about sourcing more of it.)

Addressing iron deficiency has always been difficult, but it's not just the stress of keeping track of which foods we can and can't eat. It's also the fact that many iron supplements come with a range of unwelcome GI side effects, like bloating6. Or the worry that perhaps we're getting too much iron with our supplement. But the process of slow absorption, unique to ferritin iron, means Ferritin+ is both non-irritating and doesn't mess with bowel movement frequency.*

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.