Iron is essential and required for life for many reasons. It’s used to make hemoglobin in red blood cells, which transports oxygen throughout the body. Iron plays a crucial role in ATP production within the cells – in the mitochondria. This is what makes it so important for us to feel energized. Iron is also essential for heart, thyroid and liver function, as well as growth, fertility and immune health.
So, if your iron levels are bottoming out, you’ll definitely feel it. Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutrient shortfalls worldwide—especially among vegans, pregnant and nursing women, older adults, and athletes. Symptoms like fatigue, pale skin, brittle hair and nails, shortness of breath, restless leg syndrome and brain fog are just a few signs your body may be running low.
If you are experiencing symptoms like this, a blood test with your medical doctor can let you know your iron levels, including your ferritin levels, and their normal range. Ferritin is a protein that stores iron in the body that we can use as iron reserves. If those stores are getting low, iron deficiency anemia may follow. Iron supplementation is a good way to help maintain healthy iron levels, especially if your diet is not providing enough and if you’re in a demographic or group of people more prone to low iron.
If you’ve ever struggled with low iron, you know how tough it can be - how much health information is out there to sift through, finding out what the cause is and how difficult it is to restore levels quickly without nasty side effects like constipation or nausea.
Iron supplements often have poor compliance or follow through when it comes to people taking them long enough to replenish their iron levels. It’s one of those minerals that really needs to be in balance – too much or too little can both result in side effects and health issues. Many people have trouble digesting iron – whether due to low stomach acid, inflammatory intestinal issues due to chronic health conditions, medicine they are taking, or other dietary factors. It is the most common nutritional deficiency in the world.
Who Might Benefit Most from Iron Supplements
Some groups or demographics are more likely to need to supplement iron to maintain healthy levels as they aren’t getting enough from diet alone.
Pregnant Women: Iron needs skyrocket in pregnancy due to increased red blood cell production, placenta development, and providing iron stores for the baby’s first 6 months of life. Iron deficiency in pregnancy is linked to infertility, miscarriage, low birth weight, and preterm labour.
Seniors are one of the major groups of people more prone to iron deficiency. Low stomach acid and a general decline in digestive function, chronic disease and interactions or side effects from medications are several reasons why.
Athletes have increased iron demand, increased iron loss and sometimes impaired iron absorption. As you can imagine, fatigue, shortness of breath, poor circulation and difficulty concentrating (all symptoms of iron deficiency) are going to really impair athletic performance and be felt most acutely. Athletes have increased iron demand, increased iron loss and sometimes impaired absorption. This is in part due to the stress and strain they go through leading to GI micro-bleeding and, for runners especially, something called foot-strike hemolysis (destruction of red blood cells from feet repeatedly hitting the ground). Intense exercise also increases hepcidin levels, a hormone that inhibits iron absorption.
Vegans and vegetarians are another group more likely to have suboptimal iron levels than the general population. Studies show that vegetarians and vegans have significantly lower hemoglobin levels, lower serum ferritin levels and lower iron reserves than non-vegetarians/vegans.1
All of these groups face specific challenges when it comes to maintaining healthy iron levels, including ferritin iron reserves and would benefit most from supplementing their diet with a well-absorbed form of iron.
Say Goodbye to Harsh Iron Supplements
Ferritin+® is a revolutionary plant-based, slow-release iron supplement that delivers results without irritating your stomach. Clinically proven and made from organic peas, each capsule provides 20 mg of elemental iron, safely bound in a natural iron-storage protein called ferritin - the same form your body uses to store iron. This single capsule provides an amount of iron that meets most people’s daily needs.
Unlike traditional iron supplements that can be tough on digestion, Ferritin+:
- Absorbs efficiently and gently through a unique process called endocytosis
- Avoids common side effects like indigestion, constipation, or oxidative stress
- Doesn’t require vitamin C or co-factors to absorb effectively
- Is unaffected by iron blockers like calcium, tannins, oxalates, and phytates in your diet
You can even take it alongside other iron supplements if needed - with no risk of absorption interference.
The Ferritin+ Absorption Advantage
Ferritin+ uses a protein "cage" structure to protect the iron during digestion and allow for slow, controlled release. This ensures maximum bioavailability while protecting your gut lining.
Once ingested, ferritin molecules bind to intestinal receptors and deliver iron directly into your bloodstream. From there, your body uses it to replenish red blood cells and restore optimal ferritin stores.
This unique absorption pathway is used only by ferritin iron. It’s called Receptor Mediated Endocytosis. All other forms of iron, including heme iron from animal meats, are absorbed by different pathways. This means ferritin iron is not in competition with other forms of iron or other minerals when it comes to absorption.
More Iron, Naturally
Don’t confuse Ferritin+ with pea protein supplements. It’s made from a pure ferritin extract from organic peas; each capsule contains iron equivalent to several cups of cooked peas, without the hassle or volume.
Clinically Proven Research Results
This unique absorption pathway for ferritin iron was investigated by Dr. Elizabeth Thiel in a number of clinical trials throughout the 2000s and 2010s.
A study of 73 healthy women using enteric coated ferritin iron vs. ferrous sulphate tablets found that the ferritin iron actually had superior absorption.2 Because of this different pathway of absorption, plant-sourced ferritin iron can be absorbed even in the presence of much larger amounts of dietary heme iron or iron supplementation with ferrous salts.
In a more recent 2024 clinical trial, premenopausal women with low iron took just 5 mg of ferritin iron for 5 weeks, followed by 10 mg for 4 weeks. The results? Significant improvements in both serum ferritin and hemoglobin levels, with no negative impact on absorption of other essential minerals like zinc and copper.3
Feel Better, Faster, Without the Side Effects
Iron deficiency can feel debilitating, but restoring your levels shouldn’t have to feel like a battle. With Ferritin+, you get:
- A clinically backed, vegan-friendly source of iron
- Superior absorption without digestive discomfort
- A safe, natural, and effective solution to low iron
Start rebuilding your energy and wellness with Ferritin+ - the gentle, plant-based iron that works.
Learn more about the clinical research behind Ferritin+ [here].
1. Pawlak R, Berger J, Hines I. Iron Status of Vegetarian Adults: A Review of Literature. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2016 Dec 16;12(6):486-498.
2. Theil, E., et al. Absorption of Iron from Ferritin Is Independent of Heme Iron and Ferrous Salts in Women and Rat Intestinal Segments. J Nutr. 2012;142(3):478-483.
3. Restorative effect of bean ferritin iron on low hemoglobin level in Premenopausal Women with Menstruation-Induced Anemia: A randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled intergroup trial. (Takeda R. et al. 2024)
