Which is better iron citrate or iron chelate?

Did you know that increased fatigue, tachycardia, dizziness and headaches, as well as brittle hair and nails are the first signs of iron deficiency in the body? Today, anemia has become one of the most popular diseases – it is diagnosed in every third inhabitant of the Earth. Iron is an important component of hemoglobin, which is involved in dozens of different biochemical processes, and more. With chronic iron deficiency, the functioning of all organ systems is disrupted and anemia develops. It is extremely important to maintain iron levels in the blood at the proper level and identify deficiency in time.

Why is iron needed?

Iron is involved in the synthesis of serotonin and collagen, promotes the functioning of the immune system, and is also necessary for the normal course of metabolic processes. The main function for which the microelement is responsible is cellular respiration. Thanks to iron, blood cells more efficiently transport oxygen to tissues and eliminate waste carbon dioxide from them. Lack of iron disrupts metabolic processes and reduces the protective capabilities of the immune system. The endocrine system also suffers, since enzymes containing iron are needed to produce thyroid hormones.

Signs of iron deficiency

• Fatigue and fatigue is the most common sign of iron deficiency. Tissues and organs may not receive enough energy at a time when the body needs iron, which is needed to produce hemoglobin.
• Pale skin – This is a sign of moderate to severe anemia.
• Dyspnea. When there is not enough hemoglobin, the level of oxygen in the blood decreases and rapid breathing occurs. Thus, the body replenishes the oxygen deficiency.
• Dryness of the skin, hair loss and changes in the appearance of nails. And again it’s all about low hemoglobin and lack of oxygen. Without enough oxygen available to the cells, the skin becomes dry and dull, flaking appears, hair becomes brittle and loses its shine, and nails become noticeably flat and hollow.
• Swelling and soreness of the tongue, dryness and burning in the mouth, painful cracks in the corners of the lips can also signal a lack of iron in your body.
• Restless Leg Syndrome. If you can’t sleep because your legs are itchy and you constantly want to move them, you may be anemic.

Doctors recommend checking your blood condition twice a year. In addition to the general analysis, it is advisable to examine the blood for more detailed indicators.

Forms of iron

Iron supplements are available in various forms; we will tell you about the most popular ones.

• Chelate – the most bioavailable form of iron – a combination of a mineral and an amino acid.
• Sulfate – has good digestibility, but can provoke gastrointestinal disorders.
• Citrate – a combination of iron salts and citric acid. It is quite easily absorbed and does not provoke any gastrointestinal disorders.

How to take iron supplements?

It is quite easy to replenish iron deficiency with the help of dietary supplements. Our brand Dr. Zubareva’s line of nutraceuticals includes chelated iron in capsules. The formula is fortified with vitamin C and B vitamins, which ensures that iron and hemoglobin levels are achieved, and also eliminates the need to take additional medications to correct anemia.

To get the desired result, you need to take 1 capsule 1 time per day after meals, unless your doctor prescribes a different dosage. There are only 60 capsules in the package, which means the drug will be enough for the entire course.

Iron Dr. Zubareva

It has high bioavailability and quickly replenishes iron deficiency in the body. The capsules are of optimal size and dosage; they are convenient to take with a small amount of water. The nutraceutical has no unpleasant odor or aftertaste. The unique composition was developed with the participation of Natalia Zubareva, a practicing doctor of preventive and anti-aging medicine.

To maintain life and health, our body needs not only proteins, fats, carbohydrates, but also vitamins and minerals. And while many people have heard about vitamins and their importance for humans, not everyone knows about the role of minerals and how to take them correctly.

We decided to fill these gaps and tell you how minerals differ from vitamins, what functions they perform in the body, what types of minerals exist, and how to take them correctly.

Minerals – what are they?

Minerals are beneficial substances that contribute to health and well-being 1 . Many sources group them together with vitamins, but chemically and biologically they are very different.

Minerals are inorganic compounds and are capable of maintaining their chemical structure under different environmental conditions.

There are two types of minerals: essential (macroelements) and microelements. The main minerals include: calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, chlorine, sulfur. Every day the body requires a fairly large amount of basic minerals. The norms of physiological requirements for macroelements according to the recommendations of Rospotrebnadzor are given in Table 1.

Table 1. Norms of physiological needs for macroelements

Microelements are no less important for the body, despite the fact that they are required in much smaller quantities. Micronutrient intake standards are shown in Table 2.

Table 2. Norms of physiological needs for microelements

Unfortunately, the diet of a modern person cannot fully satisfy the body’s need for minerals 1, and they are absorbed from vitamin-mineral complexes in negligible quantities. But there is a solution to this problem, and we will tell you which one below.

What role do minerals play in the body?

Essential minerals perform various tasks in the body, but one of the key functions of macronutrients is maintaining water-salt balance. The leading role in this is played by potassium, sodium, and chlorine. Three other essential minerals (calcium, magnesium, phosphorus) are essential for musculoskeletal health. Sulfur is responsible for stabilizing protein structures, including those that form the basis of hair, skin, and nails.

Microelements also perform a huge number of functions. Thus, zinc is necessary for the immune system, iron is involved in oxygen metabolism, fluorine strengthens bones, prevents tooth decay, copper is responsible for the metabolism of iron, the formation of hemoglobin, the synthesis of collagen and elastin, iodine is important for the normal functioning of the thyroid gland.

Thus, each mineral performs certain functions and is therefore necessary for the body to function normally. In addition, minerals interact with each other, so a deficiency of one microelement can lead to a deficiency or, conversely, an excess of another. This feature is important to consider when choosing dietary supplements.

What affects the absorption of minerals?

In addition to the fact that we do not get the required amount of minerals from food, several factors can interfere with their absorption. For example, caffeine-containing drinks reduce the efficiency of absorption of biologically active substances. This does not mean that you need to completely give up tea and coffee, but it is better to take minerals a few hours before or after a cup of your favorite drink.

In addition, the process of absorption of minerals occurs much more efficiently against the background of a healthy intestinal microflora, so make sure that your diet has enough dietary fiber and prebiotics 2, which feed beneficial bacteria. Consume fermented milk products, and if you are forced to take antibiotics, do not forget about drugs that compensate for their negative impact on the intestinal microflora.

Some medications also disrupt the balance of microelements. For example, acetylsalicylic acid promotes the excretion of zinc and vitamin C. Diuretics wash away potassium, calcium, magnesium, and zinc. Antacids reduce the absorption of iron, vitamins A and B₁. You can find out how a particular drug affects the absorption of micronutrients from the instructions. If you are taking medications for a long time that reduce the absorption of vitamins and minerals, you should consult your doctor about prescribing maintenance therapy with vitamin and mineral complexes.

How are different forms of minerals absorbed?

Today, online stores offer a large selection of minerals from various manufacturers. They differ not only in cost and packaging volume, but also in the form of micronutrients. There are three forms of minerals: metallic, citrate, chelated.

• Metallic minerals are mainly mined from rocks. They have a very low percentage of absorption (no more than 8-12%, in people over forty years old – no more than 3-5%). Preparations containing metal minerals include, for example, calcium gluconate and calcium carbonate. Due to the fact that metal minerals are absorbed in very small quantities, even when taking high doses of these drugs it will be very difficult to replenish the calcium deficiency. In addition, metal minerals have another drawback – they tend to accumulate in the body in the form of salts, which, if taken for a long time, can lead to urolithiasis and other serious pathologies.
• Citrate forms of minerals are obtained by adding citric acid. They are absorbed better than metal ones 4 – on average, absorption reaches 15–20%. Citrates are safer, but also have side effects on the digestive and cardiovascular systems.
• Chelated forms are metallic minerals with amino acids, proteins and enzymes. Thanks to this combination, the absorption of minerals increases by 40%. Chelated minerals are well tolerated by the body even in large dosages. They do not cause side effects from the digestive system, do not accumulate in the body, and are approved for use by pregnant and lactating women.

Chelated minerals from Evalar

The Evalar company was one of the first in Russia to develop a line of chelate complexes that ensure maximum absorption of minerals.

Zinc chelate, Calcium chelate, Magnesium chelate, Iron chelate and Copper chelate help replenish mineral deficiency without deposits in blood vessels, kidneys and joints, do not cause side effects from the gastrointestinal tract, and are allowed for pregnant and lactating women 5. High quality raw materials are used in their production.

Magnesium chelate Evalar – helps increase stress resistance, healthy sleep, relieve spasms and seizures, and can have a positive effect on the cardiovascular and nervous systems. To replenish magnesium deficiency for adults, 1 tablet per day is enough. It replaces 6 tablets of the popular magnesium drug, while Magnesium chelate Evalar is more affordable at a price of 6.

Calcium Chelate Evalar – can replenish calcium deficiency in the body, ensuring its maximum absorption. Calcium in chelated form is not deposited in the walls of blood vessels and kidneys, but enters directly into bone tissue, maintaining the normal condition of bones, teeth, and improving the functioning of the heart and blood vessels.

Iron chelate Evalar – provides 100% of the daily intake of iron 7, can help maintain normal hemoglobin levels, reduce fatigue and the risk of anemia, and if the recommended dosage is followed, does not cause nausea or other side effects from the digestive system.

Zinc chelate Evalar – can increase the body’s resistance to infections, prevent hair loss, regulate the activity of the sebaceous glands, cope with oily skin and redness, stimulate the production of its own collagen, testosterone, insulin, and participates in the process of spermatogenesis. Zinc chelate Evalar is distinguished by its high content of active substance – 25 mg, ease of administration, economical packaging, and favorable price 8 .

Copper chelate Evalar – can reduce the risk of premature graying, help strengthen the immune system, the walls of blood vessels, bones and joints, normalize hemoglobin levels, maintain the reproductive function of the body, participate in the production of collagen and elastin, maintaining skin tone and youth. Copper chelate Evalar also has economical packaging and is sold at an affordable price 9 .

How to take minerals?

Choose chelated forms of minerals from the Evalar company and absorb nutrients to the maximum. We guarantee high quality of all products and favorable prices based on dosage.

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1 Biochemistry, nutrients / Morris AL , Mohiuddin SS . Biochemistry, Nutrients. 2021 May 12. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan–. PMID: 32119432.
2 Trace Elements from conception to old age : Updated overview role of и meaning minerals в nutrition people on throughout total life Cycle с view sex / “Dietary Micronutrients from Zygote to Senility: Updated Review of Minerals’ Role and Orchestration in Human Nutrition throughout Life Cycle with Sex Differences.” Farag, Mohamed A et al. Nutrients vol. 13,11 3740. 23 Oct. 2021, doi: 10.3390 / nu13113740
3 Bioavailability of minerals in depending on from healthy th microbio you intestines / “Bioaccessibility and Bioavailability of Minerals in Relation to a Healthy Gut Microbiome.” Bielik, Viktor, and Martin Kolisek. International journal of molecular sciences vol. 22,13 6803. 24 Jun. 2021, doi: 10.3390 / ijms22136803
4 assimilation zinc young people with additional accept citrate zinc comparable с such with accept gluconate zinc и above , than with accept oxide zinc . / Zinc Absorption by Young Adults from Supplemental Zinc Citrate Is Comparable with That from Zinc Gluconate and Higher than from Zinc Oxide. Rita Wegmüller, Fabian Tay, Christophe Zeder, Marica Brnić, and Richard F. Hurrell, The Journal of nutrition vol. 144,2 (2014): 132-6. doi: 10.3945/jn.113.181487
5 As prescribed by a doctor. With the exception of the dietary supplement “Copper chelate”.
6 According to DSM Group JSC.
7 According to the established daily consumption norm.
8 According to Proxima Research LLC data for the 19th and 20th weeks of 2020, the weighted average retail price in the Russian Federation for a package of Zinc Chelate dietary supplement produced by Evalar is the most profitable compared to its analogue.
9 According to data from DSM Group JSC for the first half of 2020.