Iron

Evidence: ★★★★☆ · Status: OTC Supplement, Prescription

💡 Did you know? Your body absorbs iron but has almost no way to get rid of the excess — the only real exit is bleeding, one reason men can slowly overload.

In plain English

Iron carries oxygen in your blood — low iron means gasping endurance and constant tiredness. Test ferritin before supplementing; too much iron is toxic.

How it works

Core of hemoglobin (O₂ transport) and myoglobin; cofactor for mitochondrial enzymes. Deficiency (common in menstruating women and endurance athletes) causes fatigue and poor endurance long before anemia shows.

Molecular target & official sources

TF transferrin / HBB hemoglobin (NCBI Gene) · Iron (PubChem CID 23925)

Watch out

Never supplement without testing — iron overload damages organs. **Bottom line:** Test-then-treat; critical for female and endurance athletes.

Helps with: Endurance · Live Longer

Stacks with

Shares a pathway — often paired with: Metformin, Statins (Atorvastatin/Rosuvastatin), Magnesium, CoQ10 / Ubiquinol.

Availability & where to buy

Prescription only. Prescription-only — a doctor must prescribe it. Not sold over the counter. (In Singapore: HSA-regulated.)

How it works: the Mitochondria pathway →

Used in these protocols

Compare Iron

Common questions

Does Iron actually work?

Human-evidence rating: 4 of 5. Iron carries oxygen in your blood — low iron means gasping endurance and constant tiredness. Test ferritin before supplementing; too much iron is toxic.

What are the risks or side effects of Iron?

Never supplement without testing — iron overload damages organs. Bottom line: Test-then-treat; critical for female and endurance athletes.

Is Iron legal or approved?

Regulatory status: OTC Supplement, Prescription.