What dietary advice should I provide to patients with iron deficiency anaemia to enhance iron absorption?

The provided UK guidelines do not offer specific dietary advice on foods or food combinations to enhance iron absorption for patients with iron deficiency anaemia ¹,²,³,⁴.

It is important to note that once a person, particularly a woman in pregnancy, becomes iron deficient, it is impossible to ensure repletion through diet alone; oral iron supplementation is needed [Pavord, 2020, 1, 2].

Oral iron supplements should be prescribed to correct anaemia and replenish body stores [Snook, 2021, 1, 2]. If patients experience gastrointestinal adverse effects from iron supplements, discomfort may be minimised by taking the supplement with or after food ¹,². Some diets, such as certain plant-based diets, may be unlikely to meet daily iron intake recommendations, and an ongoing prophylactic dose of iron may be beneficial in such cases ¹,².