Ferrous sulfate

Iron is required to maintain optimal health, particularly for helping to form red blood cells (RBC) that carry oxygen around the body. A deficiency in iron indicates that the body cannot produce enough normal red blood cells. Iron deficiency anemia occurs when body stores of iron decrease to very low levels, and the stored iron is insufficient to support normal red blood cell (RBC) production. Insufficient dietary iron, impaired iron absorption, bleeding, pregnancy, or loss of iron through the urine can lead to iron deficiency. Symptoms of iron deficiency anemia include fatigue, breathlessness, palpitations, dizziness, and headache.

Taking iron in supplement form, such as ferrous sulfate, allows for more rapid increases in iron levels when dietary supply and stores are not sufficient. Iron is transported by the divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) across the endolysosomal membrane to enter the macrophage. It can then can be incorporated into ferritin and be stored in the macrophage or carried of the macrophage by ferroportin. This exported iron is oxidized by the enzyme to ceruloplasmin to Fe3+, followed by sequestration by transferrin for transport in the serum to various sites, including the bone marrow for hemoglobin synthesis or into the liver. Iron combines with porphyrin and globin chains to form hemoglobin, which is critical for oxygen delivery from the lungs to other tissues.