Need Help Figuring Out Best Supplement Plan

[October3]

My 7-yr old falls into the "potential celiac" category. Positive tTG, negative scope, no symptoms with gluten eliminationand then re-introduction but chronic iron deficiency anemia with no other cause identified.

We've been experimenting with supplements trying to get him feeling better and his iron levels built up. About 3 weeks ago we switched him to Floradix (previous to that he was just taking Flintstones multi + iron for lack of something better that he could tolerate). His blood work was just done and his anemia is worse now than it has been all year. Very frustrating because I thought it was definitely going to be better - he has been acting much better in recent weeks. Now we're hypothesizing that it is the B vitamins in the Floradix that has his energy level up. I realized when looking into it that the dose recommended for children of the Floradix (which is what we've been giving him) is only 10mg of elemental iron per day. The multi that our GI prescribed (which is so very large that there is no hope of getting him to swallow it, and once cut up it tastes horrible and doesn't slide down your throat well) had 70mg / day of iron. The Flintstones, which had been keeping him just barely in the normal range for hemoglobin but not effective at building up iron stores, has 15 mg/ day. So I think we need to have more than the 10mg from the Floradix - I thought about just giving him a larger dose of Floradix but I worry about going overboard on the B vits (I think it is 6.75mcg of B12 in the dose he's getting now - the vit prescribed by GI had 10mcg of B12). Liquid iron tastes terrible, even when mixed with juice.

Any ideas of how to concoct the perfect supplement? Any parents BTDT and have the perfect recipe?

[algarve]

My 7-yr old falls into the "potential celiac" category. Positive tTG, negative scope, no symptoms with gluten eliminationand then re-introduction but chronic iron deficiency anemia with no other cause identified.

We've been experimenting with supplements trying to get him feeling better and his iron levels built up. About 3 weeks ago we switched him to Floradix (previous to that he was just taking Flintstones multi + iron for lack of something better that he could tolerate). His blood work was just done and his anemia is worse now than it has been all year. Very frustrating because I thought it was definitely going to be better - he has been acting much better in recent weeks. Now we're hypothesizing that it is the B vitamins in the Floradix that has his energy level up. I realized when looking into it that the dose recommended for children of the Floradix (which is what we've been giving him) is only 10mg of elemental iron per day. The multi that our GI prescribed (which is so very large that there is no hope of getting him to swallow it, and once cut up it tastes horrible and doesn't slide down your throat well) had 70mg / day of iron. The Flintstones, which had been keeping him just barely in the normal range for hemoglobin but not effective at building up iron stores, has 15 mg/ day. So I think we need to have more than the 10mg from the Floradix - I thought about just giving him a larger dose of Floradix but I worry about going overboard on the B vits (I think it is 6.75mcg of B12 in the dose he's getting now - the vit prescribed by GI had 10mcg of B12). Liquid iron tastes terrible, even when mixed with juice.

Any ideas of how to concoct the perfect supplement? Any parents BTDT and have the perfect recipe?

A vitamin C supplement with meals might be a better way to increase iron absorption without any side effects.

"Vitamin C promotes iron absorption in the small intestine.15 Vitamin C enhances absorption of soluble nonheme iron, either by reducing it or preventing its chelation by phytates or other food ligands. Vitamin C increases iron absorption 1.5- to 10-fold, depending on iron status, the test meal, and ascorbate dose. Iron absorption can be doubled by 25- to 50-mg ascorbate in the meal, and ascorbate can double iron absorption in iron-deficient patients"

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As mentioned in the article, phytates are a real problem for iron absorption, so you should avoid unfermented soy foods and other grains which are high in phytic acid. But according to the research vitamin C will help reduce the chelation of iron by phytates.

For children, sodium ascorbate powder can be easy to take in some water. Otherwise Ascorbic Acid in a capsule or tablet. I avoid chewable vitamin C or acidic powder because it may not be good for the teeth because of the acidity. If you can't get Sodium Ascorbate, you can make it simply by combining pure Ascorbic Acid powder with about an equal amount of Baking Soda (Sodium bicarbonate). Adjust the amount of baking soda according to the acidity level you want.

[October3]

Good point. We do give the Floradix mixed in orange juice and it already has Vitamin C in it as well, but perhaps increasing the vitamin C is part of the key. Thanks.

[maximoo]

there are some slow release iron pills on the market. That might help . Red meat has iron. If he eats red meat offer it to him more often. Also flintstones vitamins contain gluten. Lil Critters are gluten-free as well as disney & some others. I had to take DD off Flintstones

[October3]

there are some slow release iron pills on the market. That might help . Red meat has iron. If he eats red meat offer it to him more often. Also flintstones vitamins contain gluten. Lil Critters are gluten-free as well as disney & some others. I had to take DD off Flintstones

Thanks for the tip about the Flintstones. If we go gluten free it's good to know which brands are okay.