AboutDr Alan Galbraith Expertise I can answer most questions on most drugs. Answers can be given in either technical or layperson terminology. My main areas of interest are psychiatric, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular drugs.
Experience I have been a university lecturer/head of department for almost thirty years, but am now retired. My research interests were alcohol, smoking and cardiovascular disease. I am already a well established and highly rated expert in the pharmacy section of this site.
Publications Principal author of "Fundamentals of Pharmacology" Editions 1-4 published between 1994 and 2004 by Pearson Education, Australia. Author of the 5th edition published 2007.
Author of many scientific papers.
Education/Credentials BSc(Hons);MSc;PhD;HECert
Awards and Honors The 4th edition of my textbook was awarded the the Educational Book of the Year Award in Australia.
Past/Present Clients See my profile in the pharmacy section.
Question QUESTION: Hallo,i was taking feric hydroxide polymaltose iron+Folic acid at age of 13 because i had iron deficiency.I took one chewing tablet everyday for six months.Each chewable tablet contained 357,00 mg ferric hydroxide polymaltose complex corresponds to 100,00mg Iron (III) and 0,350 mg folic acid.Do you believe tha this iron supplement obstacle me to absorpt Zinc from my daily foods??i did not have obvious symptoms of Zinc deficiency but i read some study,which presents that iron supplments can interefere with Zinc(supplemental iron does let the absorption of zinc from foods).I was scared because i read the consequences of zinc deficiency to a teen boy even if it is mild or light. Thank you very much for your time. I will wait for your answer. Dimitris
ANSWER: Dear Dimitris
I think this is my first question from Greece - we love Santorini and Athens.
Appended is a sentence from the official US Guidlines on iron supplements which should put your mind at rest. So take your iron with food.
Iron and mineral interactions
Some researchers have raised concerns about interactions between iron, zinc, and calcium. When iron and zinc supplements are given together in a water solution and without food, greater doses of iron may decrease zinc absorption. However, the effect of supplemental iron on zinc absorption does not appear to be significant when supplements are consumed with food.
Regards
Alan Galbraith
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QUESTION: Thank you for your response.I would be glad if you visit Greece again.
I do not care what happens when iron supplements are given together with the zinc supplements.I never take Zn supplements.
What worries me is if the iron (III) that i took as i described at my first question,obstacle the absorption of Zinc which was contained at the daily foods that i ate.
Is there a possibility happening such a thing?Is there any scientific study which proves that supplemental iron (feric hydroxide polymaltose iron) obstacle the absorption of Zinc from foods?
Thank you very much
Dimitris
Answer Dear Dimitris
I cannot really see, in view of my first answer, why you are worried. Even though there was a reduction in zinc absorption (unlikely), this would cause no lasting problem. Zinc deficiency is very rare and I think what you have read in the past was greatly exaggerated.
As I am retired I have no facilities to do a complete literature search but have done one on the Internet and can find no legitimate or believable site reporting any real problem which has arisen.
