Ferrous Fumarate

Ferrous fumarate is an iron supplement that prevents and treats iron deficiency anaemia. It’s usually taken in tablet form. It reduces the symptoms of anaemia by raising your iron levels. Iron plays a vital role in the production of red blood cells in the body. These blood cells carry oxygen around the body.

A lack of iron in the blood can cause fatigue, breathlessness, pale skin and palpitations. This condition is called iron deficiency anaemia. It can be caused by blood loss, pregnancy, or a diet that’s low in iron. If you can’t get enough iron from your diet, iron supplements like ferrous fumarate can help you recover from iron deficiency anaemia more quickly.

Ferrous fumarate is an iron supplement, meaning it adds supplementary iron into your body. Iron is needed to make haemoglobin, which is an essential part of red blood cells. These red blood cells carry oxygen around the body, keeping your organs and tissues healthy.

When you take ferrous fumarate, the tablets are broken down by your stomach’s digestive acid. The iron is absorbed into the bloodstream through the small intestine and taken into the cells, where it helps to create red blood cells. The cells carry the oxygen that you need around your body and prevent the symptoms of anaemia, like low energy and heart palpitations.

There are two different doses of ferrous fumarate tablets: 210mg and 322mg. Your prescribed dose will depend on your symptoms and level of deficiency. One of our clinicians will be able to guide you on the best dose to start with and then monitor your progress.

When taking ferrous fumarate 210mg you’ll usually take one tablet three times a day. If you are taking ferrous fumarate 322mg you’ll usually take one tablet once or twice a day. If the initial dose you take does not work as well as you would like it to, your clinician may suggest switching to a higher dose.

You should always take your medication as directed by your clinician.

• Take your recommended dose at around the same time each day. Setting alarms or sticking to a routine can help you remember. If you’re taking the 322mg tablets, they have day of the week stickers so you don’t forget if you’ve taken them;
• Swallow the tablets with a glass of water. Don’t crush or chew them;
• Taking ferrous fumarate tablets with meals help prevent stomach discomfort. It can also help you remember to take them;
• Try not to take ferrous fumarate with tea, eggs or milk. They can stop iron from being absorbed as easily from your gut, so avoid them for an hour before and after your tablet;
• Keep taking the tablets for as long as your clinician tells you. This is usually about three to six months.

If you’re taking ferrous fumarate to treat anaemia, you’ll usually see an improvement in your symptoms after about a week. Clinical studies show that ferrous fumarate significantly increases levels of iron in the blood when taken over a four week period.^[1]
It might take some time for the full effects to show and all your symptoms to disappear.

Ferrous fumarate can also be used to prevent anaemia from developing. When you take ferrous fumarate to prevent anaemia it can be difficult to know that it’s working because you won’t experience the symptoms of anaemia and then relief from them. This doesn’t mean that it isn’t working and that you should stop taking it. Follow your clinician’s advice.

What should I do if I make a mistake when taking Ferrous fumarate?

If you forget to take a dose of ferrous fumarate, you should take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it’s almost time to take your next dose, miss the dose you forgot to take and continue as normal. Don’t take twice the amount of tablets to make up for missing one.

If you take too much ferrous fumarate you should seek medical advice immediately. If you can’t speak to a clinician, then you should go to the hospital. Take the ferrous fumarate with you so that a medical professional can see how much you’ve used.