Re: Iron absorption hindered by tea and coffee? Also - having digestive problems

[Guest guest]

Hi Mishie,

News about tea and iron absorption not so great.

Check out this article from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, even

though not new.

http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/37/3/416

A cup of coffee decreased the iron absorption from a hamburger by 39%; a cup of

tea decreased the absoption by 64%.

Darn, I love my coffee and tea, but I think it will be worth it for us to cut

down on our tea/coffee while trying to get our ferritin up. Or at least drink

the tea/coffee a few hours away from when we take the iron.

Cindy

> >

> > I read a couple of articles that say tea significantly impedes iron

absorption and coffee also, but not quite as much.

> >

> > My ferritin was 29 on a lab test run about 5 weeks ago. I have been taking 4

of the 27 mg Blue Bonnet Chelated Iron (iron bisglycinate) each day.

> >

> > I allow myself one good cup of coffee in the morning, which I sort of sip on

all morning, but now I'm thinking I should stop the coffee while trying to get

my ferritin up. I also drink a lot of decaf iced tea. Am wondering if this is

part of the reason my ferritin was so low to begin with.

> >

> > Does anyone have more info on this?

> >

> > From the postings I've read, right now, I should probably take more of the

iron bisglycinate, but I don't think my stomach will tolerate it.

> > Any suggestions?

> >

> > Thank you.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks Suzanne - yes, that's what I'm reading, unfortunately. I drink decaf tea

all day long, but it will be worth stopping to get my ferritin up and feel

better.

Cindy

>

> Anything with tannins will effect iron absorption: coffee, tea (except

herbal), and wine.

>

>

>

>

> ________________________________

>

> To: RT3_T3

> Sent: Sun, May 23, 2010 9:38:23 AM

> Subject: Iron absorption hindered by tea and coffee? Also - having

digestive problems

>

> Â

> I read a couple of articles that say tea significantly impedes iron absorption

and coffee also, but not quite as much.

>

> My ferritin was 29 on a lab test run about 5 weeks ago. I have been taking 4

of the 27 mg Blue Bonnet Chelated Iron (iron bisglycinate) each day.

>

> I allow myself one good cup of coffee in the morning, which I sort of sip on

all morning, but now I'm thinking I should stop the coffee while trying to get

my ferritin up. I also drink a lot of decaf iced tea. Am wondering if this is

part of the reason my ferritin was so low to begin with.

>

> Does anyone have more info on this?

>

> From the postings I've read, right now, I should probably take more of the

iron bisglycinate, but I don't think my stomach will tolerate it.

> Any suggestions?

>

> Thank you.

>

[Guest guest]

Coffee and tea do impede absorption of iron, but only from plant sources. It

does NOT affect iron from meat.

Also, taking acid reducing prescriptions like Pepcid, Nexium, Prevacid, etc.,

reduces your ability to absorb iron in the stomach.

Make sure you take vitamin C to help absorb the iron. It helps. I'm unable to

take iron without my colitis flaring up but I can use an iron skillet. Using one

greatly increases iron in your food.

>

> I read a couple of articles that say tea significantly impedes iron absorption

and coffee also, but not quite as much.

>

> My ferritin was 29 on a lab test run about 5 weeks ago. I have been taking 4

of the 27 mg Blue Bonnet Chelated Iron (iron bisglycinate) each day.

>

> I allow myself one good cup of coffee in the morning, which I sort of sip on

all morning, but now I'm thinking I should stop the coffee while trying to get

my ferritin up. I also drink a lot of decaf iced tea. Am wondering if this is

part of the reason my ferritin was so low to begin with.

>

> Does anyone have more info on this?

>

> From the postings I've read, right now, I should probably take more of the

iron bisglycinate, but I don't think my stomach will tolerate it.

> Any suggestions?

>

> Thank you.

>

[Guest guest]

It's often recommended to take iron on an empty stomach, but I can't do this -

hurts my stomach - so I always take mine after meals. Not sure if this is part

of your issue but thought I'd throw it out there.

>

> I read a couple of articles that say tea significantly impedes iron absorption

and coffee also, but not quite as much.

>

> My ferritin was 29 on a lab test run about 5 weeks ago. I have been taking 4

of the 27 mg Blue Bonnet Chelated Iron (iron bisglycinate) each day.

>

> I allow myself one good cup of coffee in the morning, which I sort of sip on

all morning, but now I'm thinking I should stop the coffee while trying to get

my ferritin up. I also drink a lot of decaf iced tea. Am wondering if this is

part of the reason my ferritin was so low to begin with.

>

> Does anyone have more info on this?

>

> From the postings I've read, right now, I should probably take more of the

iron bisglycinate, but I don't think my stomach will tolerate it.

> Any suggestions?

>

> Thank you.

>

[Guest guest]

A resounding YES it does. Tannins are part of the polyphenol group.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tannin

http://www.livestrong.com/article/32697-foods-block-iron-absorption/

I did some extensive research a while back because my ferritin wasn't going

anywhere. During one particular setback with my ferritin dropping I was taking

grapeseed extract, green tea extract and drinking a lot of white tea. White tea

is extremely concentrated with polyphenols, especially tannins. Tea is twice as

concentrated as coffee.

http://www.fspublishers.org/ijab/past-issues/IJABVOL_3_NO_4/57.pdf

If you want the caffeine you can switch to cold pressed coffee or espresso.

Espresso has significantly lower tannins.

http://www.surlatable.com/product/coffee+%26+tea/french+presses/aeropress+espres\

so+maker.do?sortby=ourPicks

http://www.toddycafe.com/customerservice/ICB_Toddy.pdf

http://www.toddycafe.com/customerservice/instructions.php

I quite drinking all tea with meals, including all coffee products, stopped the

grape seed ext. and green tea ext. and threw out the white tea. If I want some

green tea I only drink it on an empty stomach 3 hours after eating,

mid-afternoon.

After doing all of this my ferritin finally went up and went up fast.

I saw a study that showed gelatin binds with tannins. I bought gelatin capsules

(NOW Foods) and take some with meals that are high iron just incase.

http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/abstract/135/3/532

Tannins are in many foods:

http://www.widomaker.com/~jnavia/tannins/tannlist.htm

Supposedly tannins only bind with the non-heme iron form, yet I found a study

that discredited this! So beware.

http://www.fasebj.org/cgi/content/meeting_abstract/23/1_MeetingAbstracts/921.1

AG

>

> I read a couple of articles that say tea significantly impedes iron absorption

and coffee also, but not quite as much.

>

> My ferritin was 29 on a lab test run about 5 weeks ago. I have been taking 4

of the 27 mg Blue Bonnet Chelated Iron (iron bisglycinate) each day.

>

> I allow myself one good cup of coffee in the morning, which I sort of sip on

all morning, but now I'm thinking I should stop the coffee while trying to get

my ferritin up. I also drink a lot of decaf iced tea. Am wondering if this is

part of the reason my ferritin was so low to begin with.

>

> Does anyone have more info on this?

>

> From the postings I've read, right now, I should probably take more of the

iron bisglycinate, but I don't think my stomach will tolerate it.

> Any suggestions?

>

> Thank you.

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Sandibos and thanks. Great to know it only impedes absorption of plant-based

iron. Now I need to find out if the Blue Bonnet iron bislycinate is meat or

plant based. I am sorry you have to deal with colitis being irritated by iron. I

had read that cooking in cast iron skillet/cookware increases our iron intake -

thanks for reminding me. That is cool. I have an old cast iron dutch oven that

belonged to my grandmother and I use it often in the winter, but not so much in

the summer. I will need to get an iron skillet. Take care.

Cindy

> >

> > I read a couple of articles that say tea significantly impedes iron

absorption and coffee also, but not quite as much.

> >

> > My ferritin was 29 on a lab test run about 5 weeks ago. I have been taking 4

of the 27 mg Blue Bonnet Chelated Iron (iron bisglycinate) each day.

> >

> > I allow myself one good cup of coffee in the morning, which I sort of sip on

all morning, but now I'm thinking I should stop the coffee while trying to get

my ferritin up. I also drink a lot of decaf iced tea. Am wondering if this is

part of the reason my ferritin was so low to begin with.

> >

> > Does anyone have more info on this?

> >

> > From the postings I've read, right now, I should probably take more of the

iron bisglycinate, but I don't think my stomach will tolerate it.

> > Any suggestions?

> >

> > Thank you.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Margery! Good to hear from you again - thank you for the advice. I didn't

want to get too detailed on here, but.. The iron is causing me to have to go

to the bathroom more often and it is making me feel a little nauseous, but it is

not making my stomach hurt, like you said it does to you. I am hoping it is a

little " bug, " but if that is the case, that " bug " is hanging around a little too

long.

Do you take your T3 sublingually? I have started doing that.

I'm so confused right now. Will get my thoughts together and post later when I

can make more sense.

Pain is still pretty bad and so his the hypo-fatigue. Some days are a little

better.

I keep thinking that I shouldn't rule out being able to take the T4 until my

ferritin comes up and we see if taking T4 produces more rt3. Then the doctor and

I will know. Don't have another doctor appt. for 4 weeks, and of course will

need to do labs about 2-1/2 weeks from now before I see the doc so he has the

results. My ft3/rt3 ratio was 18.4 BEFORE I started taking iron. (Keep going

back and forth in my mind as to what to do here.) But, I can't go to T3 only

until my ferritin comes up anyway, right?

My temperatures are staying stable and averaging about 98.1 or 98.2 each day, so

that means my adrenals are in better shape, right? If the averaged temps remain

steady, then my adrenals are pretty okay and I probably just need more thyroid

meds, correct?

This is all so complex - need cortisol, but use it up getting T3 into cells.

Need ferritin, but use it up getting thryoid into cells, too. Too much T3 too

fast can cause adrenal fatigue and then you're sort of back where you started.

Thanks again for writing. You have been such a help to me.

I hope you're continuing to do well now. You had pain too from low thyroid,

right?

Take care,

Cindy

> >

> > I read a couple of articles that say tea significantly impedes iron

absorption and coffee also, but not quite as much.

> >

> > My ferritin was 29 on a lab test run about 5 weeks ago. I have been taking 4

of the 27 mg Blue Bonnet Chelated Iron (iron bisglycinate) each day.

> >

> > I allow myself one good cup of coffee in the morning, which I sort of sip on

all morning, but now I'm thinking I should stop the coffee while trying to get

my ferritin up. I also drink a lot of decaf iced tea. Am wondering if this is

part of the reason my ferritin was so low to begin with.

> >

> > Does anyone have more info on this?

> >

> > From the postings I've read, right now, I should probably take more of the

iron bisglycinate, but I don't think my stomach will tolerate it.

> > Any suggestions?

> >

> > Thank you.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

AG, THANK YOU for all of the excellent info and links. Hey, maybe that IS part

of the reason my ferritin was so low. I hope your post helps the many people

whose posts I have seen that say they are having trouble getting their ferritin

levels up. It is encouring that once you cut out tea, your ferritin levels went

up well. As much as I love coffee and tea, I'm only going to taper off the

coffee and cut out the tea. I always have a cup of green tea in the afternoon

and drink decaf iced tea all day long and with dinner!

Thanks again.

Cindy

> >

> > I read a couple of articles that say tea significantly impedes iron

absorption and coffee also, but not quite as much.

> >

> > My ferritin was 29 on a lab test run about 5 weeks ago. I have been taking 4

of the 27 mg Blue Bonnet Chelated Iron (iron bisglycinate) each day.

> >

> > I allow myself one good cup of coffee in the morning, which I sort of sip on

all morning, but now I'm thinking I should stop the coffee while trying to get

my ferritin up. I also drink a lot of decaf iced tea. Am wondering if this is

part of the reason my ferritin was so low to begin with.

> >

> > Does anyone have more info on this?

> >

> > From the postings I've read, right now, I should probably take more of the

iron bisglycinate, but I don't think my stomach will tolerate it.

> > Any suggestions?

> >

> > Thank you.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

WHAT THE...I click Val's reply to my message and get THIS message instead? Yahoo is having problems again!!! :(Subject: Re: Iron absorption hindered by tea and coffee? Also - having digestive problemsTo: RT3_T3 Date: Monday, May 24, 2010, 5:19 AM

 

AG, THANK YOU for all of the excellent info and links. Hey, maybe that IS part of the reason my ferritin was so low. I hope your post helps the many people whose posts I have seen that say they are having trouble getting their ferritin levels up. It is encouring that once you cut out tea, your ferritin levels went up well. As much as I love coffee and tea, I'm only going to taper off the coffee and cut out the tea. I always have a cup of green tea in the afternoon and drink decaf iced tea all day long and with dinner!

Thanks again.

Cindy

> >

> > I read a couple of articles that say tea significantly impedes iron absorption and coffee also, but not quite as much.

> >

> > My ferritin was 29 on a lab test run about 5 weeks ago. I have been taking 4 of the 27 mg Blue Bonnet Chelated Iron (iron bisglycinate) each day.

> >

> > I allow myself one good cup of coffee in the morning, which I sort of sip on all morning, but now I'm thinking I should stop the coffee while trying to get my ferritin up. I also drink a lot of decaf iced tea. Am wondering if this is part of the reason my ferritin was so low to begin with.

> >

> > Does anyone have more info on this?

> >

> > From the postings I've read, right now, I should probably take more of the iron bisglycinate, but I don't think my stomach will tolerate it.

> > Any suggestions?

> >

> > Thank you.

> >

>