Iron & Acid Reflux

When the sphincter at the base of the esophagus doesn't close properly, stomach acid can flow up into your throat. There are many over-the-counter and prescription medications to treat acid reflux disease, but taking them may make it harder to digest enough iron.

Iron Needs

• Iron: A tool but also a vital nutrient.

  As part of the hemoglobin in our blood, iron carries oxygen throughout our bodies. It also helps muscles store oxygen and is part of many enzymes and other cell functions in our body.

Iron Deficiency

• Mild iron deficiency may have no noticeable effect, but if your body's iron stockpile is serious, you may be fatigued, slower to move and your mental agility may also slow down. Anemia is the most extreme form of iron deficiency.

Acid Reflux

• Acid reflux can cause chest pain so bad that it feels like a heart attack. It can also cause vomiting or belching, aggravate asthma and, if untreated, damage the lining of your throat.

Acid Reflux Medication and Iron

• Acid reflux medication controls the problem by reducing the amount of acid your stomach pumps out. The catch is that it leaves you with less acid to digest food, which can prevent you absorbing enough iron for your body's needs.

Possible Solutions

• Iron supplements may provide enough extra iron for you to digest everything you need. You might also look at alternative treatments for acid reflux, such as avoiding smoking, alcohol and acid-generating foods, not eating for four hours before bed, or sleeping with your body raised so the acid would have to flow uphill to leave the stomach.