Iron

[scaredparent]

My question is simple, does every with celiac disease have to take iron supplements? My son was not animic until he went gluten-free. When he was having severe dh about 15 stools a day, and vomiting 2 times a day his iron level was between 12 and 13. He has been gluten-free since Feb of 05 and in March his iron level was 11.3 which was borderline and then yesterday it was 10.9 so it is dropping. Is this normal or am I doing something wrong. He has been gluttened before but came out of it fine. He usually gets dh with a cross contamination but normally has formed stool and has not vomited since Feb 05. I think he is going to have to go back on iron will he have to always remain on iron or can he eventually get off of it.

[KaitiUSA]

He should eventually be able to get off of it. Not everyone with celiac is anemic and needs to take iron.Is he getting enough food with iron in it? Has there been any gluten getting into his system that could be hidden somehow?

Usually its the other way around where pre gluten free the person is anemic and then the diet helps but this does happen sometimes. I would put him on an iron liquid supplement because the absorption should be better.

[uclangel422]

I have been on iron for awhile and it is slowly creeping back up. It takes a bit of time though. I have been on iron for almost 6 months now. I started with a prescription one and am now on an OTC slow release one that doesnt hurt my stomach.

My doctor told me to of course eat more meat and spinach and to not mix those foods with calcium because it slows the absorption of iron. Also, cook in an iron skillet it one of those strange things that i am told works.

[lbsteenwyk]

Remember that most gluten free foods are not fortified with iron, while mainstream breads, cereals, etc are fortified. Your child is probably not getting as much dietary iron now that he is gluten-free. I give my daughter a gluten-free multivitamin that contains iron. My child is a picky eater and doesn't eat much meat - one of the best sources of iron, so I feel that a multivitamin is a good strategy right now.

[mstrain]

Laurie mentioned that lack of iron-fortified gluten-free foods - is a multi-vitamin a must for individuals with celiac disease? What other vitamins/minerals are "lacking" from our foods? I've always tried to maintain proper vitamin/mineral intake by diet alone - should I be changing my ways?

Michele

[tarnalberry]

My iron's been fine the whole time - we're all different. I take a multi that does have iron in it, but nothing more than that. Is he eating plenty of meat/eggs/milk? Have you tried giving him something high in vit C to go along with whatever he's having that's high in iron? It helps the body absorb the iron.

[lbsteenwyk]

Michele,

I don't think every celiac needs a multi-vitamin. If you eat a well-balanced diet that includes good sources of iron, folic acid and B vitamins you probably will be fine. The government requires the fortification of refined grain products because deficiency in the US used to be a problem. In this day and age, with our abundant food supply in the US, most people probably get adequate amounts of these nutrients, even without fortification.

WHOLE GRAINS are the best source of the B vitamins, so make an effort to include brown rice and some of the whole grain gluten-free flours - sorghum, buckwheat, brown rice flour - in your diet. Riboflavin (B-2) is found in dairy products, eggs and soy milk as well. Nuts, sweet potatoes and pork are good sources of Thiamin (B-1). As far as iron - any fresh meat, fish, dark green leafy vegetables and legumes are good sources. If you are a woman of child-bearing age, I would consider taking 400 mcg of folic acid daily.

It might be prudent to have your Hemoglobin and Hematocrit checked after you have been gluten-free for a while, just to be sure your iron levels are ok. (You can have these checked for free just by donating blood.)

Hope this information helps!

[lbsteenwyk]

Michele,

I don't think every celiac needs a multi-vitamin. If you eat a well-balanced diet that includes good sources of iron, folic acid and B vitamins you probably will be fine. The government requires the fortification of refined grain products because deficiency in the US used to be a problem. In this day and age, with our abundant food supply in the US, most people probably get adequate amounts of these nutrients, even without fortification.

WHOLE GRAINS are the best source of the B vitamins, so make an effort to include brown rice and some of the whole grain gluten-free flours - sorghum, buckwheat, brown rice flour - in your diet. Riboflavin (B-2) is found in dairy products, eggs and soy milk as well. Nuts, sweet potatoes and pork are good sources of Thiamin (B-1). As far as iron - any fresh meat, dark green leafy vegetables and legumes are good sources. If you are a woman of child-bearing age, I would consider taking 400 mcg of folic acid daily.

It might be prudent to have your Hemoglobin and Hematocrit checked after you have been gluten-free for a while, just to be sure your iron levels are ok. (You can have these checked for free just by donating blood.)

Hope this information helps!

[nettiebeads]

  lbsteenwyk said:

Michele,

I don't think every celiac needs a multi-vitamin.  If you eat a well-balanced diet that includes good sources of iron, folic acid and B vitamins you probably will be fine.  The government requires the fortification of refined grain products because deficiency in the US used to be a problem.  In this day and age, with our abundant food supply in the US, most people probably get adequate amounts of these nutrients, even without fortification.

WHOLE GRAINS are the best source of the B vitamins, so make an effort to include brown rice and some of the whole grain gluten-free flours - sorghum, buckwheat, brown rice flour - in your diet.  Riboflavin (B-2) is found in dairy products, eggs and soy milk as well.  Nuts, sweet potatoes and pork are good sources of Thiamin (B-1). As far as iron - any fresh meat, fish, dark green leafy vegetables and legumes are good sources.  If you are a woman of child-bearing age, I would consider taking 400 mcg of folic acid daily.

It might be prudent to have your Hemoglobin and Hematocrit checked after you have been gluten-free for a while, just to be sure your iron levels are ok.  (You can have these checked for free just by donating blood.)

Hope this information helps!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Donating blood is how I monitor my iron levels. I've been rejected twice as a donor for low iron. Since everyone is different and celiac disease affects everyone differently, an iron supplement (with ped/dr approval) I think would be fine. You sure don't want to let him get run down and lethargic. I find I do better (more energy and sense of well-being) on an OTC multi vitamin/mineral.

[nettiebeads]

  lbsteenwyk said:

It might be prudent to have your Hemoglobin and Hematocrit checked after you have been gluten-free for a while, just to be sure your iron levels are ok.  (You can have these checked for free just by donating blood.)

Hope this information helps!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just tried to donate blood. Not enough iron (3rd time that's happened). But did find out that tea, regular or decaffinated, interferes with iron absorption. FYI

[lbsteenwyk]

A few other things that impact iron absorption:

Vitamin C improves absorption. Drink 4 oz of OJ or have another good source of vitamin C when you take your multi with iron (or even when you eat a food source of iron).

Don't drink milk or eat yogurt at the same time. Calcium interferes with iron absorption. Take your iron 2 hours apart from a calcium source. That includes calcium supplements.

[scaredparent]

He is not able to drink OJ because it cause severe diahrea and sores in his mouth. I had heard that OJ helps. I haven't tried OC vitamins.

[tarnalberry]

  nettiebeads said:

Donating blood is how I monitor my iron levels.  I've been rejected twice as a donor for low iron.  Since everyone is different and celiac disease affects everyone differently, an iron supplement (with ped/dr approval) I think would be fine.  You sure don't want to let him get run down and lethargic.  I find I do better (more energy and sense of well-being) on an OTC multi vitamin/mineral.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My allergist warned me that those tests aren't reliable (in that they won't say that you're iron-deficient until you're *rather* iron deficient), so you may also want to talk to your doctor about better monitoring if you think you need to.

[mstrain]

  lbsteenwyk said:

WHOLE GRAINS are the best source of the B vitamins, so make an effort to include brown rice and some of the whole grain gluten-free flours - sorghum, buckwheat, brown rice flour - in your diet.  Riboflavin (B-2) is found in dairy products, eggs and soy milk as well.  Nuts, sweet potatoes and pork are good sources of Thiamin (B-1). As far as iron - any fresh meat, fish, dark green leafy vegetables and legumes are good sources.  If you are a woman of child-bearing age, I would consider taking 400 mcg of folic acid daily.

It might be prudent to have your Hemoglobin and Hematocrit checked after you have been gluten-free for a while, just to be sure your iron levels are ok.  (You can have these checked for free just by donating blood.)

Hope this information helps!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, Laurie, this information is very helpful!! Thank you so much!

[shan1523]

I dont know if this info will help, but depending on if your child will still eat it, I give my son the baby rice cereal (gluten-free) but fortified with iron, he has been anemic in the past while not gluten-free, but his numbers keep going up and hes ok now. He wouldnt take a pill very well at this age so I make sure he gets the rice cereal everyday.

Shannon

Son 13 months, signs since 5 months(starting solids)