No, Iron pills do not make you gain weight.
When you are aware that you have an iron deficiency in your body, iron supplements are a great addition. Gaining weight is not a side effect of taking iron supplements, and it hasn’t been observed in humans.
In order to prevent any negative effects iron supplements might have on your body, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, or dark stools, it would be helpful if you took them at the appropriate time and in the appropriate manner.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
✅ A consistently healthy diet including iron supplements will help you overcome any shortage of iron.
✅ Iron supplements can have unwanted side effects if not taken as prescribed, so you should be aware of the conditions advised.
✅ The consumption of iron supplements will not cause weight gain and will help with your health if used properly.
The amount of iron you need depends on your age, gender, whether you’re a child or an adult, and whether you take any other prescriptions. If you’ve recently felt exhausted and out of breath after even a small amount of activity, you may be iron deficient.
Unnoticed iron deficiency may worsen in a number of different indications and symptoms before it is discovered. Even though eating foods high in iron will help you recover, many people choose to treat their iron shortage by taking iron supplements.
While taking iron supplements has numerous benefits, it can also have negative effects. It can have a variety of effects on you if not treated carefully. But does consuming iron supplements cause weight gain? What other adverse effects might iron supplements cause? Let’s investigate this in greater detail.
Deficiency in iron
Your blood lacks sufficient, healthy red blood cells when you have an iron shortage. Red blood cells in your body transport oxygen (hemoglobin), which is vital for your body, to the tissues. Your body cannot make enough red blood cells without sufficient iron, which results in symptoms like weariness and shortness of breath.
Your doctor may frequently advise you to increase the amount of iron-rich foods in your diet to address an iron deficit you may be experiencing. These foods include, among others, red meat, shellfish, beans, leafy green vegetables, and peas.
If you consume more foods high in vitamin C like oranges, kiwis, broccoli, and tomatoes, to mention a few, your body will absorb iron more readily.
The value of iron supplements for deficiencies
Your body won’t receive enough oxygen if your red blood cells aren’t healthy, which will cause a number of symptoms, including:
- extreme tiredness
- Weakness
- Pale skin
- Shortness of breath, an accelerated heartbeat, or chest pain
- headache, light-headedness, or vertigo
- chilly fingers and toes
- the pain or inflammation of your tongue
- broken nails
- strange urges
- lack of appetite
Your immune and brain function may be impacted by tiredness, making them less effective at fighting off diseases. Iron deficiency impacts the birth of the baby in many pregnant women, as well. Additionally, iron keeps your skin, nails, and hair healthy.
You must take iron supplements to treat your body’s iron deficiency in order to recover and become healthy once more.
Do iron supplements cause weight gain?
One doesn’t understand that iron supplements can have adverse effects if they aren’t taken properly when one begins taking them for iron deficiency. Many people are unsure and worried about whether taking these iron supplements would cause them to gain weight.
Although many people have this curiosity, you shouldn’t be concerned about it. Consuming iron pills does not cause weight gain, thus this is not a side effect to be worried about.
But there are additional typical adverse effects that a person could have, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, black stools, or constipation, as well as an upset stomach. Heartburn, discolored teeth, and darker urine are among the less frequent symptoms.
More frequent negative consequences:
- Pain in the muscles, groin, side, or back
- chest pain
- Chills
- Dizziness
- Fainting
- rapid heart rate
- fever and increased perspiration
- Flushing
- Headache
- metal flavor
- nausea or diarrhea
- tingling, discomfort, or numbness in the hands or feet
- Skin color redness
- swelling of the mouth or throat
- difficulty breathing
Less frequent or uncommon side effects:
- Double vision
- feeling ill generally
- Lack of strength without feeling faint or dizzy
- pain when swallowing in the chest or throat
- stool with bloody stains
These are essentially the only negative effects of using iron supplements to treat an iron shortage. However, one of the negative effects you might experience is not weight gain. Taking iron supplements won’t cause you to put on weight, even if you accidentally overdose.
You should start with tiny doses and a low dosage of iron supplements if you have a deficiency. The daily dosage can then be gradually increased while remaining below the body’s necessary daily iron consumption. Any negative side effects on your body will be reduced as a result.
However, you should speak with your doctor if you’re still bothered by these side effects.
Overdose on iron pills
Another problem that you should be aware of and watch out for is overdosing. If you are not under a doctor’s care, you should not take more than 45 mg of iron each day. It is definitely not appropriate for kids.
There have been numerous reports of youngsters dying from an iron tablet overdose. In comparison to adults, they have reduced daily iron requirements. Adults are less likely to overdose on iron supplements because their bodies have mechanisms in place to control how much iron is absorbed.
Instead, individuals will start experiencing the adverse consequences of an iron overdose, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and stomach pain. One can easily tell when they have taken too many iron pills. You should visit your doctor to get help managing your iron pill intake if you observe these symptoms in your body.
What level of iron does your body require?
Compared to adults, children and infants need more iron since they are still developing. Ages 4 to 8 require 10 milligrams of iron daily for both boys and girls. For kids aged 9 to 13, this dosage rises to 8 mg per day. Due to their period, adolescent women require more iron than adolescent men.
Therefore, women need 18 mg of iron daily from the ages of 19 to 50, but men only need 8 mg. After menopause, a woman’s daily requirement for iron equals that of a man. Both are sufficient sources of 8 mg of iron per day.
There are several circumstances in which you may need to supplement your daily iron intake, such as when you’re expecting or nursing, have kidney failure, an ulcer, a gastrointestinal problem, use too many antacids, have undergone weight loss surgery, or exercise frequently.
Since they consume less iron than those who eat meat, vegetarians and vegans are also advised to take iron supplements.
When using iron supplements
When taken as directed and at the appropriate time with the correct instructions, iron tablets are probably safe to consume. Additionally, food might impair the body’s ability to absorb iron. The iron supplements should be taken on an empty stomach, but you should take them with meals if that doesn’t work for you or you experience negative effects.
Take iron supplements without milk, coffee, tea, or cereal. Additionally, you should inform your doctor in advance if you’re taking any other prescriptions.
Some medications and iron supplements can interact, and the result can be hazardous to your body. Your doctor may offer various treatments for iron deficiency after reviewing your complete medical history and current drug regimen.
FAQs
Do iron supplements cause weight loss?
You are erroneous if you believe that taking iron supplements alone can help you shed a lot of weight. While having enough iron in your body can help you maintain a healthy weight, it’s not a magic weight-loss cure-all.
Iron aids in the delivery of oxygen to all the cells in your body, including the muscles, and helps your body produce energy from nutrition. Consequently, they can burn fat.
Do iron tablets make you hungry?
Because iron cannot be eliminated, consuming more iron increases the likelihood that your leptin levels will fall. People who strive to maintain their iron levels by taking iron supplements or consuming foods high in iron have an increase in appetite as a result, increasing their risk of overeating.
What happens if you take an iron supplement?
Instead of causing you to poop more frequently or on average throughout the day, iron supplements can instead make you feel constipated. So, rather than something that causes you to poop more, this is thought of as a side effect. If you’re having severe constipation, you should contact your doctor.
Do iron supplements make you drowsy?
The first indicator of iron deficiency is feeling low on energy, sluggish, or fatigued all the time, which causes you to sleep more. Your body’s ability to replace iron may take up to three months.
Can skin issues be a result of insufficient iron?
People who are iron deficient experience experiencing pruritus, or itchy skin. You may begin to itch your skin more frequently, which can result in redness and lumps that resemble rashes. Your skin, nails, and hair can all suffer from low iron.
In conclusion
It is a great idea to take iron supplements in addition to consuming foods high in iron to treat an iron deficit. A healthy diet and the use of iron supplements will help you overcome your shortage more quickly.
Iron supplements can have unwanted effects if not taken properly, so you should be aware of them.
It may have a number of adverse effects, including rashes, diarrhea, and stomach pain. However, consuming iron supplements does not actually cause weight gain. These iron pills might be good for your health if used properly.