Garden of Life Vitamin Code Raw Iron Supplement – 30 Vegan Capsules, 22mg Once Daily Iron, Vitamins C, B12, Folate, Fruit, Veggies & Probiotics, Iron Supplements for Women, Energy & Anemia Support Health & Household

I don’t usually like reviews but I depend on them a lot, so I decided to contribute to the greater community. I have a chronic problem with anemia and have taken OTC iron as well as prescription tablets. I have always had digestive problems when I take iron, burping the metallic taste, etc. even when I took the VitC + Iron from Walmart. I decided to try this GOL product (after all, what did I have to lose) and it has been amazing for me, no stomach pain, constipation, bloating, and metallic taste. I now have this on automatic order and will continue to use this product. Some reviews have mentioned the GOL brand being owned by a larger corporation and not being true to their claimed health standards… I’m not going down that road because you get so sidetracked trying to figure out whether you can trust the company and in the meantime your health still suffers. For me, I found something that works and I’m so thankful.

I NEVER do reviews, although I read them for everything that I buy. I read the reviews for this item and saw mostly positive so I decided to give it a try. I suffer from very low ferritin and iron/iron saturation levels and had every symptom of anemia. Loss of hair, being cold all the time, dark circles, dry lips, etc. and I couldn’t find an iron supplement that did not bloat me up like a balloon and make me feel like my insides were going to explode or something that didn’t constipate me like the ferrous sulfate my doctor prescribed. This is MAGICAL.My iron labs before taking this were 35mcg or 8% saturation. After a week of of taking this my labs were TOO HIGH. They were now 350 mcg or 83% saturation. Saturation should 16-45 and so now I have to start only taking it every other day.

[+] THE REVIEWI really like this product for a couple of reasons. I have heard others talk about how taking iron upsets the stomach. This product is the best product to avoid that because of the way it is manufactured by using a whole food approach (i.e., more expensive approach but better quality, more absorbable iron). Setting aside for a moment the highest quality iron this product delivers, this product has some other benefits to it. It has 500 mcg (8330% DV) of coenzymed B12 (methylcobalamin). For people suffering from low iron, one symptom can be low energy. This form of B12, again, the more expensive form, is going to help with raising energy levels. Last but not least, this product also contains 400 mcg (100% DV) of Folate (read more on this below). This might not appear to be a big thing at first glance until one understands that it is very difficult to product Folate in a supplement. I’m guessing this is a byproduct of the whole food approach in creating the iron supplement vs. something added after-the-fact. Mostly, you will only find Folic Acid in supplements – I’ve already searched but feel free to spend the hours I did in trying to find a Folate supplement. The Folate is a great added bonus. Put this all together and it makes this product a far superior iron product on the market. I highly recommend this product.[+] COMPARE: Iron Complex vs. Healthy Blood:Another GOL product that is very similar to this product is 

Garden of Life Iron Supplement – Vitamin Code Healthy Blood Raw Whole Food Vitamin, Vegan, 60 Capsules

. I have included a picture of a side-by-side comparison of the two products ingredients label. I like both products. Here’s a break down of both products:Iron Complex (this product)- Vitamin B12 (as Methylcobalamin) – 500 mcg 8330% DV- Vitamin C – 25 mg 40% DV- Folate – 400 mcg 100% DV (not Folic Acid)- Iron – 22 mg 120% DV- Suggested Use: Adults take 1 capsule daily. May be taken with or without food. Capsule may be opened and contents may be added to water or raw juice. Not intended for children.- Servings Per Container: 30 (30 capsules with dosage of 1 capsules per day)Healthy Blood:- Vitamin B12 (as Methylcobalamin) – 45 mcg 750% DV- Vitamin C – 60 mg 100% DV- Folate – 400 mcg 100% DV (not Folic Acid)- Iron – 28 mg 160% DV- Vitamin B6 – 60 mg 100% DV (not in other product)- Suggested Use: Adults take 2 capsules daily. May be taken with or without food. Capsules may be opened and contents may be added to water or raw juice. Not indented for children.- Servings Per Container: 30 (60 capsules with dosage of 2 capsules per day)The Healthy Blood provides 28 mg of iron in 2 capsules versus this product that provides 22 mg of iron in 1 capsule. Both products have the same high quality iron, except that the Healthy Blood provides it in 2 capsules thereby allowing me to take 1/2 a dose (i.e., 1 capsule containing 14 mg of iron) for the days in which I am eating foods higher in iron. It all depends on what your needs are. If it is easier to take one capsule per day, then the Iron Complex is a good choice. If you want to split up your dose or take half a dose, then Healthy Blood is a good choice. Depending on your needs, I highly recommend either product.[+] WHAT MAKES A GOOD IRON SUPPLEMENT?We’ve heard about nutrition being more “bioavailable.” For example, coenzymed vitamins are in a form that is ready for cells to use which makes it more bioavailable. Minerals are chelated in advance to allow them to be absorbed through the intestinal wall which makes them more bioavailable. So what makes iron more bioavailable? Well, I figured this out and the answer is small particle size. You see, I found out that a very, very small amount of iron is used within the hemoglobin structure (i.e., the red blood cell). In fact, this structure is composed of four polypeptide chains with each chain containing only 1 atom of iron meaning 4 iron atoms is all that is needed to make one red blood cell. Yep, you read that right – 4 atoms. So, knowing that, what makes iron more bioavailable is small particle size. The smaller the particle size, the more surface area that is available for “an atom” of iron to be pealed off the “chuck” of iron (in relative terms even a small particle of iron is a huge chunk when we are only talking about 1 atom). Note: a particle of iron is simply many iron atoms stuck together as opposed to a molecular structure like a B-Vitamin.This is why I believe GOL to have a superior iron supplement. Because GOL uses a whole food process, only the smaller particles of iron are picked up by the cells (in the whole food process when creating the supplement) because it makes sense that a cell can’t absorb large particles. When the supplement is digested in the human GI tract, the particles of iron are at the perfect size for bioavailable consumption, which provides the largest surface area via the small particle size. Then single atoms are pealed away to be available to be used in creating red blood cells. For iron, its all about smaller particle sizes creating more surface area available to peel off single iron atoms. I also suspect the smaller iron particle size is why this product is less likely to upset the stomach because there is less left-over iron for your body to expel after single atoms are pealed away.[+] IRON ABSORPTION (8/1/2018 update)I did some research and talked to Lee, the garden of life representative. The GOL iron in this supplement is non-heme iron. This typically has an absorption rate of 2-20%; however, GOL reports that combining the iron in a whole food process increases the absorption such that it is possible to absorb the full 120%. For example, I have read that digesting Iron with Vitamin C can increase Iron absorption by 30%. Note that each person’s absorption rate will vary; for example, a person with Iron deficiency will absorb more Iron than someone not deficient. Therefore, it would be virtually impossible to state the actual absorption of the product for any one individual. GOL states that they provide the constituents to maximize Iron absorption up to the 120%.[+] HEME vs. NON-MEME IRON (8/1/2018 update)Heme Iron is found in meat/animal products. This type of iron is already is already bound to a protein, which makes it easier to be absorbed by the small intestine. Because it is found in animal tissue, the iron is already broken down to a single atom (i.e., the animal that digested the non-heme iron did the work of breaking down the iron into a single atom to be used). Non-heme iron is found in plants, and is considered elemental iron. The body has the ability to regulate the absorption of non-heme iron better than heme iron; therefore, for most people, it would be safer to digest a plant based non-heme iron, which is what this product contains.I did some searching about this subject, and there is little specific information on how the non-heme iron actually gets absorbed. I suspect that it acts similar to other minerals in that it needs to bind to a substance to be pulled across the intestinal wall much like other minerals that need to be chelated to amino acids to be absorbed. The iron in this product is Ferrous Sulfate, which is ionic (meaning it needs an electron). Vitamin C has an extra electron. Normally this extra electron is pulled from the Vitamin C when it is acting as an antioxidant. However, I suspect that this extra electron binds it to the ionic Ferrous Sulfate Iron. When the Vitamin C gets absorbed, so does the iron. I suspect this is why Vitamin C increases the absorption of iron, but it’s just a guess on my part.[+] FOLIC ACID vs. FOLATE:Folic acid is not found in nature; it is made synthetically. Our bodies then convert Folic Acid to Folate. I think the issue is not the product of the conversion (i.e., the conversion yields the same Folate molecule structure), but whether all of the Folic Acid IS getting converted. Because Folic Acid is synthetic, whatever does not get converted then needs to be flushed out of the body. So, there is an intake process, a conversion process, and a flushing process (of left over folic acid) all going on at the same time. If the conversion process does not keep up with the intake process and the body cannot flush the rest, then too much Folic Acid can build up in the system. There are some studies now coming out showing that a buildup of too much Folic Acid in the body can cause health issues. This is primarily why there is an upper limit for Folic Acid as noted by a government fact sheet:”Folate that is naturally present in food is not harmful. Folic acid in supplements and fortified foods, however, should not be consumed in amounts above the upper limit, unless recommended by a health care provider” (Source1, Can folate be harmful?).As a person focused on nutrition, I look at all the ingredients listed on my supplements. The problem is that you would be surprised at how many supplements sneak Folic Acid into their supplement. For example: I take a Methyl B-12. The 5,000 mcg formula includes Folic Acid (100% Daily Value), but the 1,000 and 10,000 mcg formulas do not. Therefore, I take the 10,000 mcg not because I need the extra 5,000 mcg, but because 1,000 is too low and I don’t want the extra Folic Acid in the 5,000 mcg formula. It is surprising how many foods and supplements include Folic Acid. It is therefore not surprising that this over abundance of Folic Acid in the foods and supplements we ingest might be causing some problems as noted in some studies on the web. With Folate, there is no issue because it is a “B” vitamin which is water soluble (“B” vitamins flush very easily out of the body). Now you might then ask, why doesn’t Folic Acid flush as easily. I don’t know, but I would suspect that it is because Folic Acid is not a “true” B-vitamin (remember, it is created or synthesized in a lab and then “converted” into a B-vitamin). I hope this helps.[+] BLACKSTRAP MOLASSES – High in iron:For those seeking additional ways to increase iron levels, Blackstrap Molasses taken along with this product might also help. Blackstrap Molasses contains 20% iron in one tablespoon. This helps supplement the iron with more bio-available iron from a natural food source. Start out taking only a teaspoon because it can be a little overpowering (i.e., on the sweet side). After you do that for a couple of days, you should be able to increase to a tablespoon without any issues. I take one tablespoon in the morning. This is the product I would recommend: 

Plantation Blackstrap Molasses, Organic, 15 oz (Pack of 2)

[+] FOODS THAT INHIBIT IRON ABSORPTION:Since the whole point of taking iron is to have it be absorbed into your body, I thought it would be nice to know foods that inhibit iron absorption. I checked out Live Strong and thought I would list the foods they report as being iron inhibitors:- Eggs – contains phosvitin, which binds iron together thereby preventing absorption.- Calcium-rich Foods – Does not affect absorption if less than 50 mg; 300 to 600 mg taken daily can inhibit iron absorption.- Oxalate-rich Foods – Commonly found in tea. So if you are a heavy tea drinker, do not combine with foods or supplements.- Polyphenol-rich Foods – Primarily cocoa and coffee. Cocoa can inhibit up to 90 percent, and coffee up to 60 percent.- Walnuts – contain phytates that can inhibit iron.Now take this all with a grain of salt (nope, salt doesn’t inhibit iron). I personally wouldn’t stop eating these foods just to get more iron absorption. I would use it more as a guideline such as if you are a heavy tea or coffee drinking then maybe not a good idea to take this supplement while drinking coffee all day long to stay awake at work. I would suggest to take this supplement right before bedtime since that is when your meal has mostly been digested (of course not with a calcium supplement). This is all just information to be used with some common sense when reviewing daily eating and supplement intake habits. It is good to note that even though these foods might prevent iron absorption, the information is not very specific meaning they don’t say how much of a food is needed to impact absorption (except for the calcium). I hope this helps. It helped me since I do drink tea heavily at times.[+] HUMOR HEALS THE HEART:Okay, you have read this review and found it helpful, but you’re on the fence as to whether it was helpful enough to deserve a helpful vote. To click or not to click. Decisions, decisions. Well, I’ve come up with a little humorous spin about myself as it pertains to my devotion in creating helpful reviews. I’ve done this using the style of the comedic legend Rodney Dangerfield (1921-2004) and do this also in honor and memory of his great work. The plan is to get you chuckling as you click the helpful button. Let’s see – here it goes:”I tell ya, I just don’t get no respect. I started writing reviews and getting helpful votes. Wow, this is cool, I said. I checked my profile and saw that my reviewer ranking was around #8000. So, I wrote more reviews. I was so excited when I checked my reviewer ranking to see it improve to around #7000, so I put even more time into writing reviews. I must be getting helpful votes, I thought, because my reviewer ranking then shot up to #5028. Alright, I said, I rolled up my sleeves, dropped everything and put ALL my time into my reviews. Then, I checked – my reviewer ranking said – #GETALIFE. No respect I tell ya. No respect at all.”GIVE Reviews. This is my standard for writing reviews.[G]enuine – This is a review that is honest, trustworthy with no reason other than to help people in the Amazon family.[I]nformational – This review needs to provide information related to this product in a concise matter.[V]aluable – This review needs to provide value to the reader such that it helps him or her determine if this product is for them.[E]nlightening – This review needs to go beyond product information such that the reader learns something they did not otherwise know.ps. Don’t forget to up-vote if you liked this review, or you think this review will help others.

I’ve been vegetarian for about 17 years now and I tend to battle with being low in iron especially when pregnant. Garden of life raw iron pills always help me bring my iron levels up high! I love this brand and the quality of there products.

I don’t usually write reviews, however this product has saved me. I have struggled with being anemic for 20 years. I have also never finished a round of normal supplements because it messed up my stomach. 2 months ago I was so exhausted, lightheaded, always freezing, constant migraines and I knew it had to be a lack of iron again. I began taking these and waited for my stomach to complain like always. Instead I had energy coffee wasn’t providing. My brain fog lifted in about a week. I just kept taking them with no issues my symptoms disappearing. Before I knew it I finished my bottle and barely had time to order another before I ran out. For the first time in my life I finished a bottle! I will NOT use another type of iron suppliment again, this stuff is just awesome.