Swedish company FerroCare/MediTec has a strong commitment to reach people suffering from iron deficiency, but have problems with existing supplements.

2. Globally, anaemia affects 1.62 billion people (95% CI: 1.50–
1.74 billion),which corresponds to 24.8% of the population
(95% CI: 22.9–26.7%).
The highest prevalence is in preschool-age children
(47.4%, 95% CI: 45.7–49.1),and the lowest prevalence is in
men (12.7%, 95% CI: 8.6–16.9%).
However, the population group with the greatest number
of individuals affected is non-pregnant women (468.4
million, 95% CI: 446.2–490.6). (WHO).

3. Iron is an important part of the red blood cells that carry
oxygen to all the cells of the body. If we don´t have
enough we easily run short of breath, get tired and have
problems concentrating.
Our bodies contain 4-5 grammes of iron. It may be difficult
to get enough of this important nutrient unless meat
courses are part of the diet.
Fruit, cereals and vegetables contain relatively little of
useful iron. If you’re suffering from low iron, no amount of
vitamins or any other supplement is going to change it.

4. Almost every third woman has low iron values. The risk is
especially high if menstruation lasts longer than three
days, during pregnancy and lactation. During
menstruation the woman loses an average of 35-40 mg of
iron, or around 10 mg per day. This is why women need
more iron than men.
The symptoms of iron depletion are so common that they
aren´t always recognised. Except for weakness and
shortage of breath it also affects appearance. The skin
grows pale and hair and nail lose strength and luster.

5. Iron deficiency can give the following symptoms:
- Tiredness, fatigue, passivity and drowsiness
- Concentration difficulties and increased need for
sleep
- Impaired physical performance
- Lessened learning ability

6. In healthy individuals the average iron absorbed
is 1 mg daily for men, 1.5 - 2.5 mg daily for
women and during pregnancy 2-3 mg daily
corresponding to a total of 500 - 1 000 mg per
month
Iron requirements should compensate for
demand during growth, pregnancy and
physiological and pathological losses.

7. Many iron supplementation treatments fail
because syntethic iron produces painful and
uncomfortable gastro-intestinal side-effects
sooner or later.
Heme iron preparations have a virtually perfect
tolerance and this will not change even in longer
use when necessary.

8. There are only two kinds of iron that we can use;
heme iron from meat, poultry or fish and non-
heme iron from vegetables, dairy products or
chemically bonded iron in regular supplements.
Heme iron is taken up along the whole gastro-
intestinal tract (not only the first part) and,
unlike non-heme iron, absorption is not affected
by other chelating components of the diet such
as phytates, tannates and phosphate.

9. In studies the incidence of side-effects with heme
iron products is at placebo level.
The mechanism of uptake for heme iron does not
leave free iron ions in the gut that may cause
disturbancies and are potentially carcinogenous.

11. The process of building up adequate iron stores takes
months, much in the same way that depletion doesn´t
happen overnight.
This is why supplementary dosage usually is enough. If
the dosage is higher than 50 mgs per day zinc
absorption will be blocked.
The success of any iron therapy is closely related to
user friendliness. This means that tolerance and
dosage-related compliance is of central importance.

12. Swedish company MediTec Group AB in its
Division FerroCare has a strong commitment to
reach people that are suffering from iron
deficiency and have problems with existing
supplements
Iron deficiency is easily corrected using
products from the OptiFer® series

13. www.meditec.se/FerroCare.html www.hemeiron.com