Expert: Eric Brandt - 6/16/2009

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 inhibit  absorption Zinc from my daily foods?? i read some study,which presents that iron supplments can interefere with Zinc at solutions(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


P/S I was taking the iron tablet mostly at morning and sometimes a noon and before sleep

Answer
Hi Dimitris,
Many multiple vitamins with minerals contain iron and zinc. I think that this combination would not be permitted if one ingredient inhibited the absorption of another. I therefor do not believe that the iron supplement will inhibit the absorption of zinc from your diet.
Thank you for using Allexperts
Sincerely,
Eric Brandt, B.sc. pharm