mineral
Iron
Best absorbed away from calcium, dairy, coffee, and tea.
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Can You Take Iron and Vitamin C Together?
Synergistic
These two work better together
Vitamin C boosts non-heme iron absorption when taken together.
Can I take Iron and Vitamin C together?
Vitamin C boosts non-heme iron absorption when taken together.
How it works
The mechanism
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) reduces dietary ferric iron (Fe³⁺) to the more readily absorbed ferrous form (Fe²⁺) and forms a soluble chelate that survives the alkaline upper intestine. 100 mg of vitamin C can increase non-heme iron absorption 2–4×.
Dose where it matters
When the interaction actually matters
As little as 50–100 mg of vitamin C taken with iron meaningfully boosts uptake. Larger doses give diminishing returns.
Who should care most
Who this matters for
Plant-based eaters relying on non-heme iron, and anyone taking iron to correct deficiency.
Evidence strength
Strong evidence
Supported by multiple controlled human studies.
vitamin
Vitamin C
Water-soluble; gentle on stomach and supports iron absorption.
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