Low iron - can I still drink decaf tea/coffee?

[Smiler82]

I have low iron and am taking liquid supplements. Everything I've read about low iron says to avoid tea and coffee because they interfere with iron absorption, but they don't say what it is in the tea/coffee that does this.

Does anyone know if it's caffeine that's the problem? I usually drink decaf tea and coffee anyway so I'm confused. If it's a different ingredient that's in decaf as well as normal tea/coffee then fine, but if it's the caffeine then surely I should be able to have the odd cup of decaf here and there. Any ideas?

Thanks! x

 

[giddypenguin]

Don't worry too much about it... just don't take your supplements with tea/coffee and it'll be fine. It's not the caffeine causing the problem, it's other chemicals. It only causes a problem if you eat meals/take supplements at the same time as drinking it (and even then it's not enough to cause a problem in itself, you must already be lacking in iron already). The best thing to take supplements with is orange juice, as the vitamin C helps absorption.

 

[Smiler82]

Thanks Do you know if the chemicals also in decaf? I am definitely lacking iron as I had a blood test last week. I always drink my supplements with OJ

 

[giddypenguin]

I'm not sure... off the top of my head it's the phenols (I think, but don't hold me to that!!) which I think accounts for the taste - so I would think they'd be in decaf also... but they don't 'hang around' too long... so just leave it an hour or two after eating/taking supplements before having a tea and you'll be fine.

 

[Smiler82]

Ok great Thanks very much!

 

[Lawgirl]

Also, if you take your tea or coffee with milk, the calcium will prevent absorption. Just have a big gap between drinking tea or coffee and taking the iron.

 

[amjon]

As long as you take it a couple hours or more from your iron it should be fine. I wouldn't take it with OJ either as that often has added Calcium which can cause an absorption issue as well.

 

[SamsMum]

It's the tannins which can hinder absorption - it's not going to cancel out the iron, but you may as well give your body the best chance to absorb. Take the tablets with water and leave a gap of an hour or two before the hot drink. As someone else has said, calcium also inhibits iron absorption.

Vitamin C enhances iron absorption.

x

 

[sue_88]

It's the tannins which can hinder absorption - it's not going to cancel out the iron, but you may as well give your body the best chance to absorb. Take the tablets with water and leave a gap of an hour or two before the hot drink. As someone else has said, calcium also inhibits iron absorption.

Vitamin C enhances iron absorption.

x

^^^ What my fellow Nutritionist said!

I am on iron tablets also, I take them in a morning 1 hour before breakfast with water (followed by some OJ), then in the evening 2 hours after dinner (again with a swig of OJ).

 

[Smiler82]

Thanks for all the great advice everyone I take a liquid supplement in the morning so am cutting out my morning cup of tea, and jusy having 1 tea or coffee in the afternoon if I feel like it. Good to know the exact ingredient that's the issue I do like to know details

 

[LockandKey]

also been told after my glucose test that I have low iron and will be taking a pill supplement. Thanks for the info ladies, very helpful.

 

[Smiler82]

Watch out with the tablets-they can make you very constipated! Personally I prefer Spatone, you could also try Floridex x