PRE-DONATION INFORMATION ON IRON DEFICIENCY
AND MAINTAINING IRON BALANCE
Thank you for coming in.
We care about your health and want you to know that donating blood reduces iron
stores in your body. In many people, this has no effect on their health. However, in some
people, particularly younger women or donors of either gender who donate frequently,
blood donation sometimes may remove enough iron that it may impact your iron stores.
We want you to understand this more clearly.
How does blood donation affect iron stored
in my body?
Iron is needed to make new red blood cells to replace those you lose from donation.
To make new red blood cells, your body either uses iron already stored in your body
or uses iron that is in the food you eat or in vitamins or iron supplements you take.
Does the Blood Center test for low iron stores
in my body?
No, the Blood Center tests your hemoglobin but, not your iron stores. You may have
a normal amount of hemoglobin and be allowed to donate blood even though your
body’s iron stores are low.
How may low iron stores affect me?
There are several possible symptoms associated with low iron stores.
These include:
• Fatigue
• Decreased exercise capacity
• Pica (a craving to chew things such as ice or chalk)
• Restless Leg Syndrome
In addition, having low iron stores may increase the possibility of having
a low hemoglobin test and prevent you from donating blood.
What can I do to maintain my iron stores?
1. Eat a well-balanced diet including iron-rich foods such as meats, vegetables,
beans and cereals.
2. Consider taking an iron supplement (19-45 mg iron) that is available over the counter. Multivitamins with iron (8-19 mg) are also available.
Iron supplements vary in name and the amount of iron within the tablet/caplet.
Current recommendations suggest taking iron supplements for 8 weeks to 3 months.
In general, higher doses of supplemental iron will be more effective in maintaining iron
stores. Therefore, we recommend taking 38-45 mg iron tablets daily for 60 days (two
months) after each blood donation. If you experience gastrointestinal side effects you
can try taking lower dose iron tablets.
If you continue to have a low hemoglobin test or experience symptoms of anemia
while taking iron supplements, you should see your physician to evaluate other
causes of low hemoglobin.
Why doesn’t a single big dose of iron replace
what I lose during the donation?
In general, your body can only absorb a small portion of the iron you get from your diet
and supplements. Taking iron in larger doses for a shorter period of time does not lead
to better absorption (and may result in more side effects). The overall goal is to slowly
replace (over 8 weeks to 3 months) the 200-250 mg of iron lost during donation.
Where can I get additional information?
If you have additional questions or need more information, you can call the Medical
Help Desk at 800.310.9556 or talk with your physician. It is also important to make
your physician aware that you are a blood donor. You may also reference The American
Society of Hematology’s website on iron deficiency anemia at www.hematology.org/
Patients/Blood-Disorders/Anemia.
2. Take iron supplements containing ferrous sulfate
PROTEIN FOODS
Iron (mg)
Liver, cooked 2 oz.
5
Beans, I cup cooked:
Red, kidney, pinto
Black-eyed peas
Lentils
5
4
3
Tofu, 8 oz.
2.5
Chile con carne w/ beans,
1 cup
3
Meat & poultry, 2 oz. cooked:
Pork
2.5
Beef
2
Chicken
1
Eggs, 2
2
Peanut Butter, 4 tablespoons 2
Soup, split pea or bean
With pork, 1 cup
2
Tuna, ¼ cup
1
Hot Dog, 2 average cooked
1
BREADS & CEREALS
Iron (mg)
Dry cereals, ¾ cup or 1 oz.:
Most, Product 19, Total
18
Buckwheat’s. Kix
8
All Bran, Bran Chex, Life
40% Bran Flakes, Wheat Chex
Cheerios, Golden Grahams
Grapenut Flakes, Raisin Bran
Special K, Wheaties
4.5
4.5
4.5
4.5
4.5
100% Bran
2.5
Rice Chex, Rice Krispies,
Corn Flakes
2
2
Cooked cereals, ½ cup:
Cream of Wheat, Malt-o-Meal
Wheathearts
Wheatena, Oatmeal
8
8
0.5
Flour tortillas, 1 average
Corn tortillas, small 6
1
0.5
Bread, whole wheat or enriched
1 slice
0.5
Noodles, Spaghetti, Macaroni, enriched
½ cup cooked
0.5
Rice, brown or enriched white,
½ cup cooked
FRUITS & VEGETABLES
Iron (mg)
Prune juice
Figs, 5 medium
Watermelon, 1 small slice
Raisins, ½ cup
Prunes, 5 medium
Spinach, ½ cup cooked
Dates, 5 medium
Peas, ½ cup cooked
Apple juice, ½ cup
Banana, 1 medium
Broccoli, 1 stalk or ½ cup
Green beans, ½ cup cooked
Potato, sweet or white, baked
Strawberries, ¾ cup 1
Tomato, 1 medium raw
V-8 juice, ½ cup
Apple, 1 medium
Apricot, 2 medium
Cantaloupe, Honeydew,
Orange, 1 medium
Pear, 1 medium
4.5
3
3
2.5
2
2
1.5
1.5
1
1
1
1
1
1
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
MILK & MILK PRODUCTS
Milk
Cheese
Cottage cheese
Yogurt
Ice cream
Contains
very
little
iron
………
0.5
RECOMMENDATIONS
FOR TAKING
IRON SULFATE)
INTRUCTIONS
FOR TAKING IRON
(FERROUS
(FERROUS SULFATE, FERROUS GLUCONATE OR FERROUS FUMARATE)
If you choose to take an iron supplement or your doctor has recommended one, the following instructions
may be helpful.
•
Take with food.
•
Take with juices rich in vitamin C (orange juice, grapefruit, or tomato juice). Iron is more easily absorbed
when taken with vitamin C.
•
Since iron can cause constipation, it is advisable that you drink plenty of fluids and eat raw fruits, vegetables,
and whole grain products. Check with your doctor if constipation becomes a problem.
•
In addition to constipation, you may experience a mildly upset stomach and a darkening of your stool. If you
experience severe side effects, please call your doctor. He/she may reduce the dosage of your iron
supplement or advise a reduction in the number of times per day you take the pills.
Adapted from the AABB Interorganizational Task Force on Donor Hemoglobin Deferrals
Iron Source.doc
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The Institute for
Transfusion Medicine
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