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Q. Would taking an iron supplement ease RLS (restless legs syndrome) symptoms? I was part of a blinded study at Johns-Hopkins where I either had an iron infusion or a placebo.
I was "cured" for over a year, but the study isn't finished and they won't give me any information. I would like to know how much iron to take in pill form. Can you help me?
A. A placebo-controlled study found that pills with 325 mg of ferrous sulfate twice a day for three months reduced the symptoms of restless legs syndrome (Sleep Medicine, online February 18, 2009). Another study conducted at Johns Hopkins found no benefit for RLS from intravenous iron (Sleep Medicine, Feb. 2009).
We suggest you talk with your doctor before taking such a large dose of iron, since too much could be toxic. You can find other approaches for RLS at www.peoplespharmacy.com.
Excellent advice! If you can't wait for the study to end and even when you do know the results, you should consult with your physician before taking a large dose of ferrous sulfate, so you understand clearly the long term side effects.
I strongly recommend that you read the book "Iron and Your Heart" by Randall Lauffer. Too much iron is a very dangerous thing, which is fully explained in the book.
Sincerely, Russ