Once the iron you ingest becomes soluble, it is absorbed in the duodenum, the first part of your small intestine that connects to your stomach.1
The absorption process in the duodenum begins with iron uptake, when iron passes through a membrane of cells called enterocytes that line the intestine.2,3 Then, iron is transferred from enterocytes into the plasma.2 A protein called transferrin attaches to the iron and helps transport it throughout your body.4
Iron later passes to your bone marrow, where it is used to make hemoglobin and red blood cells, which circulate in your body and help supply oxygen to your organs and tissues.5
When you absorb more iron than your body needs for immediate purposes, some of it is stored in your cells as ferritin (ferritin is a storage protein for iron in your cells).6 These stores can supply iron when your body needs it later and will be depleted before iron deficiency begins.6
WARNING: Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6. KEEP THIS PRODUCT OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN. In case of accidental overdose, call a doctor or poison control center immediately.
Ferralet® 90 is a prescription iron supplement approved for treating anemias that respond to oral iron therapy. Your doctor may prescribe Ferralet® 90 if you have certain anemias associated with pregnancy, blood loss, or metabolic disease, or if you are recovering from surgery or do not have enough iron in your diet.
Important Safety Information
Ferralet® 90 has not been tested in children. Dosing for elderly patients should begin at the lower end of the dosing range.
Talk to your doctor before taking Ferralet® 90 if you have a known sensitivity to any of its ingredients.
Because some medications may interact with Ferralet® 90, you should tell your doctor about any medications you are taking, including antacids and antibiotics.
Before prescribing iron therapy, your doctor will need to determine the type of anemia you have and identify its underlying causes. You should not take this product if you have been diagnosed with hemolytic anemia or an iron overload disorder such as hemochromatosis or hemosiderosis.
If you have certain forms of anemia associated with vitamin B12 deficiency (i.e. pernicious anemia), the Folic acid contained in Ferralet® 90 is not enough to treat your condition. Doses of more than 0.1 mg Folic acid per day can hide the symptoms of these anemias, so your doctor must rule them out before prescribing this product.
Once you begin iron therapy with Ferralet® 90, take the product 2 hours after meals, and do not exceed the recommended dose.
When taking Ferralet® 90, you may experience temporary side effects such as GI irritation, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and dark stools.
Some patients taking Folic acid have reported allergic reactions. Additionally, Ferralet® 90 contains FD&C Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine), which may cause allergic reactions (including bronchial asthma) in certain susceptible people. Although uncommon, tartrazine sensitivity is often seen in patients who also have aspirin hypersensitivity. Contact your doctor and discontinue use if you develop any unusual symptoms.
Keep this product out of reach of children. Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under six. Symptoms of overdose include abdominal pain, metabolic acidosis, decline or absence of urine production, nerve damage, coma, convulsions, death, dehydration, congestion of blood vessels, cirrhosis of the liver, low blood pressure, hypothermia, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, black or tarry stools, vomiting blood, rapid heart rate, high blood sugar, drowsiness, abnormal pale or bluish skin color, lack of energy, seizures, and shock. In case of accidental overdose, call a doctor or poison control center immediately.
To report negative side effects, contact Mission Pharmacal Company at 1-800-298-1087 or the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
- Barton JC. Iron deficiency. In Rakel RE, Bope ET. Conn's Current Therapy, 2008. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Saunders/Elsevier, 385-389.
- Trinder D, Fox C, Vautier G, Olynyk JK. Molecular pathogenesis of iron overload. Gut. 2002 Aug;51(2):290-5.
- Roy CN, Enns CA. Iron homeostasis: new tales from the crypt. Blood. 2000 Dec 15;96(13):4020-7.
- Huebers HA, Josephson B, Huebers E, Csiba E, Finch CA. Occupancy of the iron binding sites of human transferrin. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1984 Jul;81(14):4326-30.
- Iron. Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary - Ed. 20, Editor Donald Venes. F.A. Davis Company 2005
- Recommendations to prevent and control iron deficiency in the United States [Internet]. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 1998 Apr 3 [accessed 2008 Apr 9]. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00051880.htm.
