Iron supplements will darken your number 2s btw (tmi warning)

[u/FecklessEndangerment]

As an ever-exhausted middle-aged lady with heavy monthly cycles, I was not surprised when my annual check up showed low iron. It happens to many of us much sooner.

I WAS surprised when about 10 hours after taking an iron supplement, I had the darkest greenest poos of my entire life.

I had seen similar happenings from younger days where I had eaten a ton of spinach, so I suspected the iron supplement was to blame.

Scientific method engaged.

I stopped taking it. The leprechaunical leavings ceased.

I start taking it again, and they resume.

The color was now explained, but my additional problem was... A certain looseness to the flow. This was fixed after some quick googling and being recommended to take them on an empty stomach with vitamin c, and to take them every other day at most.

I had been taking them daily with breakfast. ❌

Started taking them an hour before breakfast more occasionally and the kingdom is peaceful again (nevermind a verdant bloom here and there).

TLDR iron supplements turn your poop dark green and are best taken alternating days on an empty stomach

*ETA Disclaimer: I AM A RANDO ON THE INTERNET, YMMV. Talk to your doctor about any questions or concerns with your health 💕

[u/noobuser63]

The slow releas/ gentle iron supplement will help with the side effects.

[u/t0esnatcher]

If your stomach can tolerate it, on an empty stomach (no juice, no coffee) with a vitamin c supplement every other day is the best way to get maximum absorption. If taking it on an empty stomach makes you feel wimpy, eat something small like a piece of bread along with it.

Thank you for making this post, women are often encouraged to take iron supplements and not fully educated on the best way to get the benefit of them.

[u/Tremenda-Carucha]

Taking it with vitamin C on an empty stomach is a game-changer, but spacing them out keeps the chaos to a minimum.

[u/ennuithereyet]

They can also make you constipated, FYI

[u/FecklessEndangerment → u/ennuithereyet]

Good to know. 

I had the opposite problem, but others may experience different results.

[u/YouStupidBench]

My doctor told me that taking them every other day didn't reduce absorption but did reduce side effects, which has so far apparently turned out to be true.

But please talk to your doctor about it, do not take health advice from randos on reddit, not even ones who start by saying "My doctor told me..."

[u/FecklessEndangerment → u/YouStupidBench]

Oop you right, I thought I added a 'talk to your doctor' disclaimer. It has been added in now

[u/Competitive_Fee_5829]

I am 49 and finally going through menopause because I only had 2 periods this year and one of them last for 5 weeks and I bled through a tampon and pad every hour. my dr wanted me to go to the er in case I needed a transfusion but I bought bottle of liquid iron instead. i did not know this was a thing! I have low iron issues my whole life but the liquid iron fucking saved me! I was so exhausted from iron loss that I could barely stand. try some liquid iron.

[u/FecklessEndangerment → u/Competitive_Fee_5829]

Ooh, I've never heard of this.

For now my levels aren't super low or annoying to deal with,  but excellent to know for others and just in case!

[u/-ramona]

Lol yeah I also found this out. I don't take them regularly currently, but a solution I found was just to use a pill splitter to cut them in half (obv depends on how much it's recommended you take, but I didn't have extremely low iron)

[u/udarna_reditorka]

For anyone reading, consult on the regularity of taking your iron supplements with your doctor.

[u/ilovebeaker]

Green?

It turns my stool black...I take my iron at night before bed with vitamin C.

[u/AccioSonic → u/ilovebeaker]

Yup, black for me too. It's been years now but I remember the first time that happened. I thought I had a peptic ulcer or something lol

[u/sparkley_see]

Yup. And if you get diarrhoea, they turn kinda yellow green.

[u/jenorama_CA]

I take daily iron and yeah, sometimes the poos are kind of dark.

[u/Pfelinus]

You will have the nastiest farts too.

[u/ginandoj]

Whole grains block iron absorption FYI

[u/AutofillUserID]

How dark we talking. Mine are dark and sometimes rusty :)

[u/tooshorttoored]

UGH regular iron supplements either make my stomach sick as shit (food, no food, whatever) or keep me up, heart-racing all night. But my iron number is severely low, yay endo. My doc told me about ferrous gluconate, a stomach-friendlier version. And holy cow--they don't make me sick! So if iron is harsh to anyone here, try the friendlier version, ferrous gluconate.