👋🏼 Welcome to Femme Fortified, where busy, ambitious women get science-backed insights to feel better, work better, and cut through the wellness noise.

Real health insights. Zero jargon. Just smart, actionable tips so you can feel your best and get back to being unstoppable.

Not a subscriber yet? Sign up here. 💌

I’ll admit that my iron routine started more from convenience than research.

When I worked in tech, I’d take my iron in the morning, on an empty stomach, as I rushed out the door. Breakfast usually came 30 to 45 minutes later, once I got to the office. It wasn’t intentional. It just worked with my schedule.

When I started diving into the science behind iron absorption, I was happily surprised to learn that my haphazard habit was actually one of the most effective.

Turns out, when you take your iron can have a big impact on how well your body absorbs it.

In this issue, I’m looking into why when you take your supplement matters and how a small tweak in timing could mean more energy, fewer side effects, and better results.

The Best Time to Take Iron Supplements

Timing matters more than you think.

Most supplements contain non-heme iron, the kind your body doesn’t absorb as easily. That’s why how and when you take it can make a big difference.

The research is clear: iron is best absorbed on an empty stomach.

But that’s not always realistic (or comfortable). So how do you strike the right balance between absorption and your actual daily routine?

🕰️ Best Timing Options for Better Absorption (and Fewer Side Effects)

🍽️ First thing in the morning
Iron is absorbed best on an empty stomach. If your gut can handle it, take your supplement 30–60 minutes before breakfast, ideally with a glass of orange juice or another source of vitamin C to enhance absorption.

🛌 Before bed
If morning doses cause nausea, try taking your supplement at night—at least 2 hours after dinner—with a light, non-dairy snack like fruit. This can reduce stomach upset and still allow for solid absorption.

🥝 With a small snack
If your stomach is especially sensitive, pair iron with a vitamin-C rich snack like kiwi or strawberries.

🚫 Avoid These Common Iron Blockers

☕ Coffee & 🫖 tea
Even one cup of coffee or tea within 1–2 hours of your dose can significantly reduce iron absorption—thanks to polyphenols that bind iron in your gut.

🥛 Calcium-rich foods or supplements
Calcium directly competes with iron for absorption. That means milk, cheese, fortified plant milks, and calcium pills (including multivitamins!) are best spaced 1–2 hours away from your iron dose.

💊 Antacids & acid-blocking medications
Stomach acid is essential for absorbing iron. Medications that reduce acid (like PPIs or antacids) may interfere with how well you absorb iron from supplements or food.

Experimenting with timing, pairing it with the right nutrients, and avoiding common blockers could be the difference between meh results and a real energy boost.

Try shifting your timing for one week. See how your body responds. The results might surprise you.

💬 Have you found a time that works best for you? Or are you still experimenting? Reply and let me know what’s helped (or what hasn’t). I’d love to hear your experience.

1  Having your iron supplement alongside a glass of orange juice (without breakfast or coffee!) resulted in a ~4-fold increase in iron absorption and provides ~20 more mg of absorbed iron per dose. Given how hard it is to absorb normally (usually only 10% to 20% of a dose), that’s huge!