Iron ' t you glad you can take this instead of eating 8lbs of brocolli a day! (Spatone Iron+)

Member Name: historywitch

Product:	Spatone Iron+
Date:	29/07/09 (135 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: No nasty side effects, easy to take, boosts energy levels and the immune system

Disadvantages: Expensive, fiddly sachets

I was recommended to take Spatone by my doctor after my iron levels dropped during pregnancy and I became slightly anaemic. Iron is an important mineral for the body and a lack of iron can manifest in symptoms such as fatigue, breathlessness and dizziness as your body struggles to deliver oxygen around the body. Vegetarians and pregnant women are particularly prone to anaemia but really anybody can benefit from a gentle iron supplement such as Spatone especially if you are particularly active or over 60.

Spatone can be found in most pharmacies such as Boots and Lloyds but I have also spotted it in my local Wilkinsons and Savers. It comes generally in boxes of 14 or 28 sachets and they are priced in the region of £3-4 for 14 or £6-8 for 28. I bought a box of 14 at first to see how I got on with it, but ended up taking advantage of a Boots 3 for 2 offer and bought three of the larger boxes - 84 sachets for about £14.

The boxes themselves are larger than most supplement boxes, made of strong cardboard and have a bright orange and white design; but despite this I did have trouble spotting them on the shelves the first two or three times I bought them. Both times I had to ask for assistance in spotting them as they really don't stand out on the shelf. Once opened the boxes contain 14 or 28 rectangular orange sachets and an information leaflet about the product. Each sachet contains iron-rich mineral water from a Welsh spa (supposedly discovered by a Roman legion) and contains the equivalent iron to 2lbs of spinach or 8lbs of brocolli. The information leaflet provided with the Spatone sachets is clear, easy to read and very reassuring/ informative; I didn't have to scan through reams of information but yet felt I was getting everything I needed to know before trying the product.


Having had very negative experiences with NHS prescribed iron tablets in the past I was a little dubious and slightly concerned about taking this product. The leaflet is very reassuring about Spatone not usually causing constipation or stomach problems so I broke out the orange juice (Vitamin C helps the absorption of iron) and gave it a go. The recommended amount is one sachet a day but as I am pregnant I am 'allowed' to take two, either together or separately. The amount of water in each sachet is about 100ml or so (amount is not actually stated on the packaging so it is a guess) and has a very distinctive 'rusty' metallic taste. I don't find it particularly unpleasant but it gives the orange juice quite an interesting tang-I am quite aware that it is there. There haven't been any side effects so far and I have been feeling much more energised and enthusiastic after taking it for 5 weeks. When my daughter is not well I mix a sachet with her fruit juice and she drinks it without complaint; which for an opinionated four year old (it is not recommended for those under two years old) is quite an achievement-she can usually spot something 'healthy' from miles away! My only complaints are firstly that the fruit juice I take it with gives me heartburn as it is better taken on an empty stomach, but this is hardly serious and easily dealt with; and secondly that the sachets can sometimes be a little tricky to open and when I dropped a little on my unstripped wooden worksurface it has left some little grey stains. On the more serious side these sachets may be difficult for some people to open - I know my 91 year old grandmother would struggle to open and pour out the Spatone without spilling some.


Spatone is expensive if you use it as a daily supplement as depending on the size of the box etc sachets can cost between 10 and 33p and I am glad I don't have to take two sachets a day indefinitely. However it is certainly something I will be buying and keeping in the house for when my energy levels need a boost or we are all feeling under the weather to help out our immune system. I haven't noticed any side effects from taking the Spatone and it has definitely raised my iron levels from slightly anaemic back into the normal zone. I am very glad I don't have to eat the equivalent amount of spinach or broccoli every day!

Summary: A natural iron supplement