The document discusses the efficiency of low-dose heme iron versus high-dose non-heme iron for restoring iron counts, highlighting that heme iron has better absorption rates and fewer side effects. It indicates that daily iron needs vary by gender and condition, and emphasizes that excessive non-heme iron can block zinc absorption. The Optifer® series is presented as a safe and effective heme iron supplement with no reported serious side effects.

1. Why Low-dose is more efficient than
High-dose when it comes to iron

2. Restoring iron counts
• Restoring iron values takes a while, just like the onset and
development of iron deficiency doesn't happen overnight. It
is a question of balance where the uptake of iron needs to
match the losses.
• Natural losses include for instance loss of blood through
menstruation and natural intake is based on the diet.

3. Natural dose
• The regular amount of iron we need in a mixed diet is 12 - 18
mg in total per day.
• In healthy individuals the average iron demand is 1 mg daily
for men, 1.5 - 2.5 mg daily for women and during pregnancy
2-3 mg daily.
• A heme iron tablet with a dose of 18 mg will yield up to 4
mgs for bodily needs, whereas a non-heme tablet of 100 mg
will yield 2 mg. The rest is reactive and remains in the gut.
• The body will absorb no more than it needs of heme iron
and the rest is completely inert – no stomach problems.

4. Iron absorption
• Most of the daily iron will be in non-heme form, which is
bound in plants or bound chemically in the regular syntethic
supplements. Non-heme iron is not very bioavailable, so
more than 95 % will not be absorbed.
• Heme-Iron is taken up at a significantly higher rate, 20 -40 %
and will not produce side-effects like the syntethic
supplements. It is also not affected by other simultaneously
ingested food or drink.

5. Uptake of non-heme iron
• 30 days of supplementation with 100 mg Fe++ non-heme iron
at a bio-availablity of 2 % theoretically gives 60 mg absorbed
iron. At 4 %, which is unusual, the amount is 120 mg.
• Non-heme supplements at 100 mg Fe++ per dose regularly
have an incidence of side-effects leading to termination of the
therapy of around 30 %.

6. Uptake of Heme-iron
• Supplementation with 18 mg of heme iron for thirty days
with a bio-availability/uptake of 20 % gives 108 mg of
absorbed iron.
• Heme iron is very well tolerated and is known to have a
side-effects ratio as placebo. This means a higher therapy
success rate.
This is why heme iron tablets with a dose of 18 mg Fe++ can
compete with non-heme tablets of 100 mg Fe++.

7. More than 60 mg non-heme
stops zinc uptake
• A dose of more than 60 mg of non-heme iron per day will
block the uptake of Zinc, which is an essential trace
element vital for many biological functions and that has a
crucial role in the enzyme system in the body.
• Heme-Iron will not affect the uptake of Zinc.

8. Syntethic supplements with high doses
• There is a clear tendency to use non-heme iron
supplements in very large doses because many believe a
strong deficiency situation should be cured as quickly as
possible.
• However there is a large risk for therapy-ruining side-
effects and a normal uptake will not permit a large
change quickly.
• A steady therapy with an efficient and well tolerated iron,
such as Heme-Iron in tablet form, is therefore always
preferable.

9. The OptiFer® Series is the nr. 1 Heme-Iron
formula available internationally
-The OptiFer® series is safe. No reported cases of
serious side-effects or poisonings after long-time
massive use of heme iron in Scandinavia.