HIGH ELEMENTAL IRON CONTENT: Ferrous fumarate, used in Hematogen FA Capsules, is an organic iron 1,2 complex which has the highest elemental iron content of any hematinic salt - 33% This compares with 20% for ferrous sulfate (heptahydrate) and 13% for ferrous gluconate.

MORE COMPLETE ABSORPTION: It has been repeatedly shown that Ascorbic acid, when given in sufficient amounts, can increase the absorption of ferrous Iron from the gastrointestinal tract. The absorption promoting effect is mainly due to the reducing action of ascorbic acid within the gastrointestinal lumen, which helps to prevent or delay the formation of insoluble or less dissociated ferric compounds. Iron absorption has been shown to increase sharply with increasing amounts of ascorbic acid, showing a gain in absorption of approximately 40% at 250 mg. Above 250 mg, the gain becomes insignificant, with an additional gain of only approximately 8% at 500 mg. Each Hematogen FA capsule contains 250 mg of ascorbic acid, believed to be the optimal amount

PROMOTES MOVEMENT OF PLASMA IRON: Ascorbic acid also plays an important role in the movement of plasma iron to storage depots in the tissues .The action, which leads to the transport of plasma iron to ferritin, presumably involves its reducing effect, converting transferrin iron from the ferric to the ferrous state. There is also evidence that ascorbic acid improves iron utilization, presumably as a further result of its reducing action and some evidence that effect upon erythropoiesis. Ascorbic acid is further alleged to enhance the conversion of folic acid to a more physiologically active form, folinic acid, which would make it even more important in the treatment of anemia since it would aid in the utilization of dietary folic acid."

EXCELLENT ORAL TOLERATION: Ferrous fumarate is used in Hematogen FA Capsules because it is less likely to cause the gastric disturbances so often associated with oral iron therapy. Ferrous fumarate has a low ionization constant and high solubility in the entire pH range of the gastrointestinal tract. It does not precipitate proteins or have the astringency of more ionizable forms of iron, and does not interfere with proteolytic or diastatic activities of the digestive system. Because of excellent oral toleration, Hematogen FA Capsules can usually be administered between meals when iron absorption is maximal.

FOLIC ACID SUPPLEMENTATION: The use of supplemental folic acid may be indicated in patients with increased requirements for this vitamin, such as iron deficiency anemia. Folic acid administration may 12 reduce the risk of neural tube defects in the developing fetus . Folic acid has also been shown to reduce circulating homocysteine leveIs in the blood . FoIate as 5-methyltetrahydrofolate and B as methylcobalamin are involved in the remethylation reaction of homocysteine to methionine. Elevated homocysteine plasma levels are associated with increased risk of preeclampsia, neural tube defects, myocardial infarction and artherosclerosis.

TOXICITY: Ferrous fumarate was found to be the least toxic of three popular oral iron salts, with an oral LD of 630 mg/kg. In the same report, the LD of ferrous gluconate was reported to be 320 mg/kg and ferrous sulfate 230 mg/kg.