Discussion » Questions » Health and Wellness » What's the difference between elemental iron, ferrous sulfate, and dried ferrous sulfate?

What's the difference between elemental iron, ferrous sulfate, and dried ferrous sulfate?

I'm still trying to figure out iron supplements. 

Slow Fe (what I'm supposed to be taking) lists ferrous sulfate as the main ingredient, but the box also says it as 45mg of elemental iron, and that 45mg of elemental iron is equal to 142mg of ferrous sulfate. 

I had to purchase a store brand again because they were out of Slow Fe, and I started getting tired again, so I double checked the label. The store brand also claims to be 45mg of iron, and lists ferrous sulfate as the main ingredient, but it says nothing about elemental iron. I contacted the company that made it to see if one pill is really an exact match for Slow Fe and they won't tell me how the two compare. 

To further confuse things, I found a third empty bottle from a different brand in my stash- one I don't remember having an issue with- and it also says it's 45mg, but mentions specifically that it's dried ferrous sulfate, which supposedly makes it more potent. 

How are these different products all able to market themselves as being 45mg iron supplements when they're all made differently and may well have different levels of potency? Gah!

Posted - December 22, 2017

Responses


  • 7280
    Lots of sources for Slow Fe at Amazon:

    https://goo.gl/8bqKah


    A
    nd specific information on the two strengths:


    This post was edited by tom jackson at December 23, 2017 12:48 PM MST
      December 23, 2017 10:58 AM MST
    1

  • 7280
    https://m.cvs.com/drug/slow-fe/oral-tablet-extended-release/45mg

    https://m.cvs.com/drug/slow-fe/oral-tablet-extended-release/50mg


    I don't know why the links separate when posted, but they still work. This post was edited by tom jackson at December 23, 2017 12:48 PM MST
      December 23, 2017 11:09 AM MST
    1