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BioTechUSA Iron Professional
BioTechUSA Iron Professional gives you supplemental iron in a tablets format you can take with your first meal of the day.
Why people take it
- Iron contributes to normal formation of red blood cells and haemoglobin
- Iron contributes to normal oxygen transport in the body
- Iron contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue
How to use
Take as directed on the pack, ideally with food and at the same time each day.
Take away from tea, coffee and calcium; vitamin C alongside increases absorption.
Good to know
- Format: tablets
- Caffeine free
A food supplement, not a substitute for a varied diet and healthy lifestyle. Do not exceed the stated dose. Keep out of reach of children.
At a glance
£0.16
per daily dose
Strong
evidence for iron
Our honest take
One tablet gives 20 mg of iron as iron gluconate (143% NRV), with 80 mg vitamin C, 400 µg folate as methylfolate and 5 µg B12. Gluconate is a reasonably gentle form, and the vitamin C helps absorption. 20 mg is slightly above the 17 mg a day UK guidance level for iron from supplements, which is designed to limit stomach upset and constipation, so this suits people a health professional has told are low in iron rather than routine use. Most men and post-menopausal women should not take iron unless a doctor advises it.
- You have been told you are low in iron, for example because of heavy periods
- You eat a plant-based diet and your GP agrees an iron supplement makes sense
- You are a man or post-menopausal woman and have not been told you need iron
- You have haemochromatosis or another iron-overload condition
- You have young children at home and cannot store it out of their reach: iron overdose is dangerous to children
The science
Iron· evidence: Strong
Iron is needed to make haemoglobin, which carries oxygen in the blood. Women with heavy periods, pregnant women, vegans and vegetarians, frequent blood donors and some endurance athletes are most likely to run low. For people with confirmed iron deficiency, iron supplements reliably raise iron levels and correct anaemia.
Most men and women past the menopause get enough iron from food and should not take iron unless a doctor advises it, because the body has no easy way to get rid of excess iron.
Forms differ mainly in how well they are tolerated. Ferrous sulfate and fumarate are cheap and effective but often upset the stomach. Bisglycinate and other chelates, and lower doses, tend to be gentler. Taking iron every other day can improve absorption and comfort. Unexplained tiredness should be checked by a GP with a blood test before you start iron.
Iron contributes to normal cognitive function. Iron contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism. Iron contributes to normal formation of red blood cells and haemoglobin. Iron contributes to normal oxygen transport in the body. Iron contributes to the normal function of the immune system. Iron contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. Iron has a role in the process of cell division. (Applies where a daily dose gives at least 15% of the NRV, i.e. 2.1 mg.)
Typical dose: Men and women over 50 need about 8.7 mg a day; women aged 19 to 50 need about 14.8 mg (NRV on labels: 14 mg). Supplements usually give 10 to 30 mg.
Safety: Keep iron supplements well out of reach of children: accidental iron overdose is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in young children. The NHS says taking 17 mg or less a day is unlikely to cause harm; higher doses can cause constipation, nausea and stomach pain. Do not take iron unless you know you need it, and do not take it if you have haemochromatosis or other iron-overload conditions. Iron reduces absorption of some medicines (including levothyroxine and some antibiotics): take them at least 2 hours apart. Tea, coffee and calcium reduce iron absorption.
Research we looked at:
NHS. Vitamins and minerals: iron. nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/iron
NHS. Iron deficiency anaemia. nhs.uk/conditions/iron-deficiency-anaemia
Stoffel NU et al. Iron absorption from supplements is greater with alternate day than with consecutive day dosing in iron-deficient anemic women. Haematologica 2020;105(5):1232–1239.
Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals (2003). Safe Upper Levels for Vitamins and Minerals. Food Standards Agency.
Vitamin C· evidence: Moderate
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid, or mineral ascorbates such as sodium, calcium or magnesium ascorbate) is an essential vitamin found in fruit and vegetables. Adults need about 40 mg a day in the UK, and most people who eat fruit and vegetables get enough. The body cannot store much, and absorption falls off at higher doses, so the extra from a 1,000 mg tablet is largely passed in urine.
The best evidence on colds (a Cochrane review) found that taking vitamin C every day does not stop most people catching colds, but may shorten them slightly. People doing very heavy physical exercise are the exception, where regular vitamin C roughly halved the number of colds in trials.
A supplement makes sense if your diet is low in fruit and vegetables, if you smoke, or around periods of hard training. Most people do not need mega-doses, and fancy forms (liposomal, ester or buffered) have little evidence of meaningful benefit over plain ascorbic acid, though buffered forms can be gentler on the stomach.
Vitamin C contributes to the normal function of the immune system. Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin. Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of cartilage. Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of bones. Vitamin C contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. Vitamin C contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress. Vitamin C increases iron absorption. (Applies where a daily dose gives at least 15% of the NRV, i.e. 12 mg.) Vitamin C contributes to maintain the normal function of the immune system during and after intense physical exercise (applies where the daily intake is 200 mg in addition to the recommended daily intake).
Typical dose: The UK reference intake for adults is 40 mg a day (NRV on labels: 80 mg). Supplements commonly give 200 to 1,000 mg.
Safety: The FSA advises that 1,000 mg (1 g) a day or less from supplements is unlikely to cause harm. Higher doses can cause stomach pain, diarrhoea and wind. People with a history of kidney stones, haemochromatosis (iron overload) or kidney disease should speak to their GP before taking high doses. Chewable and powder forms are acidic and can affect tooth enamel.
Research we looked at:
NHS. Vitamin C. nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-c
Hemilä H, Chalker E. Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2013;(1):CD000980.
EFSA NDA Panel. Scientific opinion on dietary reference values for vitamin C. EFSA Journal 2013;11(11):3418.
Carr AC, Vissers MCM. Synthetic or food-derived vitamin C: are they equally bioavailable? Nutrients 2013;5(11):4284-4304.
Ingredients & nutrition
Always check the pack you receive, as manufacturers sometimes update recipes.
How to use
Price per dose & how it compares
| Product | Size | Price | Per daily dose |
|---|---|---|---|
| This product | 60 tablets | £9.99 | £0.16 |
| Doctor's Best High Absorption Iron | from £11.99 | £0.10 | |
| NOW Foods Iron Complex | from £10.39 | £0.10 | |
| BetterYou Iron 10mg Daily Oral Spray | from £13.99 | – |
Cost per daily dose lets you compare packs of different sizes fairly.Worked out from our current prices.
Food supplements should not replace a varied, balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. General information, not medical advice. Speak to your GP or pharmacist first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a medical condition or take medication.
BioTechUSA Iron Professional gives you supplemental iron in a tablets format you can take with your first meal of the day.
Why people take it
- Iron contributes to normal formation of red blood cells and haemoglobin
- Iron contributes to normal oxygen transport in the body
- Iron contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue
How to use
Take as directed on the pack, ideally with food and at the same time each day.
Take away from tea, coffee and calcium; vitamin C alongside increases absorption.
Good to know
- Format: tablets
- Caffeine free
A food supplement, not a substitute for a varied diet and healthy lifestyle. Do not exceed the stated dose. Keep out of reach of children.
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