According to the naturopaths we've dealt with, yes, taking C with meals will help you absorb iron from out of the food products you consume, and if you're low iron, this is a great way to get a little more in your system.
Be sure you do not have HC, first. It is a simple blood test to discover it. The health problems it can lead to are hideous. My dad died from complications of it, it destroyed his liver. It is very insidious.
If you are HC free, taking C (NOT ascorbic acid alone) to increase Iron uptake from food is great. It doesn't take much, 500-1,000 mg per meal. Interestingly, our naturopath also says this works with foods high in vit C too, in that if you drink orange juice, grapefuit, etc., with your meal, you will see iron uptake increase.
One last precaution: just because someone has HC doesn't mean they can't be anemic--they CAN. I've never experienced that condition, but that requires some work with your physician/naturopath. It is tricky as hell to work around from what I understand.
One reader wrote:
***************************************************************************
Re: 2MUCH VIT C INCREASES Fe UPTAKE, CAN BE HA....
FYI
I was talking with my doctor this week about Vit C intake. He tells me a daily dosage of over 1500 mg can lead to development of kidney stones.
Keep up the good work
Take care
John
***************************************************************************
Doctors vary on their opinion. Mine tells me that your body uses as much C as it needs, then 'throws off' the rest of it, even up to doses of 3,000mg a day. I have heard, tho, that stones can be caused by it, also by calcium, so who knows? The best thing to do is work with your naturopath and find out how YOUR own body handles it. I have to be careful with C, hence the usage of ascorbic acid instead.
Peace,
Ang
Discl. NMM
: I am one of the ones who always gets low iron when I forget to
: supplement. Can this help me, by taking the C this way?
: Of course I guess I should phrase this: "What would YOU
: do if you were in my situation?"
: Thanks!
: Bonnie
