Heme Iron

Why people switch to heme iron

The usual story: regular iron tablets caused stomach upset or constipation, or the rules — empty stomach, hours away from coffee, tea, and calcium — got old. Heme iron sidesteps both. It's absorbed through its own pathway, so it's largely indifferent to what you eat with it, and because more of it is absorbed, the small doses leave less unabsorbed iron behind to bother your gut.

What "heme iron polypeptide" means

It's the term on most of these labels. The iron arrives still attached to fragments (polypeptides) of the protein it naturally comes packaged in, sourced from bovine hemoglobin. That packaging is exactly what your body's dedicated heme pathway recognizes — it's why the absorption works the way it does.

Heme vs. the other gentle forms

Heme isn't the only option if regular iron didn't agree with you. Iron bisglycinate (iron bound to glycine) and liposomal iron — both also in this collection — are gentle non-heme routes. Liquid iron suits anyone who'd rather skip pills. And if you'd prefer your heme iron as food, beef liver capsules are the whole-food version.

Heme iron in Canada

Heme iron supplements sold in Canada carry a Natural Product Number (NPN) from Health Canada and ship from our Ontario warehouse to addresses across Canada. One thing to know: heme iron is animal-sourced — not vegetarian. The exception in this collection is Flora Ferritin+, which uses plant-derived ferritin iron for a similar gentle-absorption story without the animal source.

A note on iron safety

Don't start any iron supplement without confirming you need it — a blood test through your healthcare provider is the only way to know. Keep all iron products well out of reach of children; accidental swallowing of iron-containing products is one of the most serious poisoning risks for young children. If you're pregnant or take medication, talk to your provider first.