Alternate-day iron dosing is an approach where supplements are taken every other day instead of daily. Clinical research shows improved iron absorption when iron doses of 60 mg or more are given every other day, as compared with every day, likely due to a hormone called hepcidin.*1
Hepcidin typically controls how much iron your body absorbs. Research shows that taking an iron dose of 60 mg or more can impact hepcidin levels for around 24 hours, which may limit next-day iron absorption.1 By spacing out iron intake to every other day, hepcidin levels should have time to return to baseline—creating a more favorable environment for iron absorption.*
Research has shown that, for moderate-to-high doses of iron (≥ 60 mg), alternate-day dosing can lead to better absorption as compared to every day.*1
Stoffel NU, von Siebenthal HK, Moretti D, Zimmermann MB. Oral iron supplementation in…women: How much and how often? Mol Aspects Med. 2020 Oct;75:100865
What is alternate-day iron dosing, and why is it better?
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