It can be taken either way. Absorption is not affected by food intake and is not hindered by achlorhydria (absence of hydrochloric acid from the gastric juice). As such, you do not need to take OptiFer with extra Vitamin C or a glass of orange juice.Further, PPI’s (stomach acid reducing pills) do not effect the absorption of heme irons, like they do for non-heme irons. (Sharma article)

No, orange juice and other forms of Vitamin C do not affect absorption.

No, tea and coffee do not affect absorption of OptiFer. Like all irons, calcium in dairy may have an effect on the absorption of iron. So enjoying your coffee black will be fine.

Dosing will depend on your individual needs and level of iron deficiency as determined by your physician. OptiFer can be taken up to 3 tablets per day.

OptiFer is indicated to be spaced apart. Some studies have shown that an individual may take up to two tablets at one time, however it is not known whether taking more than one at a time results in higher iron absorption.

Individual needs will vary. Please speak to your physician about dosing.

OptiFer can very conveniently be taken at any time of the day, with or without food.

Yes, tablets of OptiFer can be cut or crushed.

No, currently this product is only available in tablet form

The elemental iron in a tablet of OptiFer is tableted in the natural heme iron polypeptide form that the body prefers and is able to readily absorb. This is in comparison to the non-heme iron preparations that need to be modified and/or broken down in the stomach before they can be absorbed. Furthermore, heme irons are absorbed by a highly bioavailable receptor that is dedicated to absorbing only heme iron. Non-heme irons are absorbed via a non-specific transporter that other ions (calcium, magnesium, etc.) also compete to use. For these reasons, you need to consume a high amount of non-heme iron as only a small percentage is absorbed by your body, compared to heme irons where you only need to consume a little, because a much higher percentage is absorbed.

OptiFer is indicated for individuals over 18 years of age at this time. Please speak to your paediatrician about whether or not OptiFer is right for your child.

It depends on the individual, health factors, and dosing. Hemoglobin usually increases within 2 to 3 weeks of starting iron supplementation but the amount of increase will vary depending on the initial level of iron deficiency anemia. You should start to feel symptomatically better within a few weeks with consistent supplementation.

Length of treatment will vary individually. Generally, treatment is for at least 3 months before following up with your physician for further testing.

OptiFer: 11mg elemental iron as heme iron.

As heme-iron, the medicinal ingredient in OptiFer is made from animal sources (bovine/steer).

• Isomalt
• Microcrystalline cellulose
• Stearic acid
• Croscarmellose sodium
• Hypromellose
• Magnesium salts of fatty acids
• Silicon dioxide
• Iron oxide

Side effects are rare, and less frequent than those experienced by other forms of iron supplementation.Patients may experience side effects such as constipation, diarrhea, nausea, upset stomach, stomach/abdominal cramps. Very rarely do allergic reactions occur. Symptoms of an allergic reaction may include rash, itching, swelling, dizziness and/or trouble breathing.

Iron supplementation is not recommended for any individual with hemochromatosis.Patients with hemochromatosis should receive advice on iron supplementation only from their physician. The liver is one of the main storage sites for iron, and patients with hemochromatosis may have excessive iron storage.

This product can affect the results of certain lab tests (e.g. testing for blood in stools can result in false positives).Make sure laboratory personnel and physicians know you are using this product.

Yes – there are no wheat products in OptiFer.

OptiFer is available through your local pharmacy without a prescription, online through our website or by calling us directly. If your pharmacy currently does not carry OptiFer, they can order it for you from their supplier.

It can also be found behind the counter at your local Costco pharmacy (BC, AB, ON, QC).

International visitors should contact Meditec, the manufacturer of OptiFer, for assistance.

No, a prescription is not required to purchase OptiFer. However, you should consult with your healthcare professional before starting iron or any other supplementation .

Please speak to your physician.

OptiFer is very competitively priced with other premium oral iron supplements.As the final cost varies from pharmacy to pharmacy, please visit your local pharmacy for pricing information.

OptiFer is manufactured in Sweden.

Both OptiFer and Proferrin are 11mg heme iron.
Proferrin is manufactured in the US.As most of the bovine in the US are treated with GMO feed and antibiotics, the manufacturer is unable to commit to it being GMO free. In addition, as Proferrin’s tablet is considerably larger, it contains non natural ingredients such as synthetically produced colors (FD&C Yellow and Blue). The colour in OptiFer is from a natural source, iron oxide.
OptiFer is recognized by the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada through the SOGC Brand Recognition Program.
•           Halal Certified
•           Price per tablet can be up to 50% less