IronShould iron be taken with vitamin C?
Updated 9 Nov 2026
Short answer
Vitamin C helps the body absorb nonheme iron from food.[1] With iron tablets, a 2020 trial in 440 adults with iron deficiency anemia found no extra benefit.[2] The people took 100 mg of iron three times a day, with or without 200 mg of vitamin C. After 2 weeks, hemoglobin rose by 2.00 g/dL with vitamin C and by 1.84 g/dL without, which counted as equivalent.[2] Ferritin and side effects did not differ.[2]
Sources (2)
- Iron: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. ods.od.nih.gov
- The Efficacy and Safety of Vitamin C for Iron Supplementation in Adult Patients With Iron Deficiency Anemia: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Li N, Zhao G, Wu W, Zhang M, Liu W, Chen Q, et al. JAMA Netw Open, 2020. PMID 33136134
More about iron
What is iron?Which foods contain iron?How long does it take for iron supplements to work?What is iron used for?What are the signs of iron deficiency?Is iron safe?For education; not medical advice. Talk to a doctor before you start, stop or change a supplement.