Print Print
CKS is no longer commissioned by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). NICE remains committed to providing a replacement service for CKS and is currently reviewing its options. In the meantime, although CKS content is now not being maintained, it still remains relevant and will continue to be made available. CKS content was generated under a programme of topic creation and update. To check if the topic you are viewing is current or out of date, please refer to the topic publication details by clicking on the 'How up-to-date is this topic?' link in the left hand menu on individual topic pages.

Anaemia - iron deficiency - Management
First choice: ferrous sulphate preparations

Age from 12 years onwards
Ferrous sulphate tablets: 200mg (65mg iron) three times a day
Ferrous sulphate 200mg tablets
Take one tablet three times a day.
Supply 84 tablets.
Age: from 12 years onwards
NHS cost: £6.18
OTC cost: £10.89
Licensed use: yes
Patient information: These tablets are usually well tolerated but may sometimes upset your stomach, causing sickness, heartburn, and possibly diarrhoea or constipation. These side effects should settle down with time, but if they are very troublesome at first you may reduce the number of tablets you take each day to just one or two. After 4 or 5 days, try increasing the number of tablets taken back up to three a day. Taking the tablets with or after some food will also help reduce the side effects. This medicine may also colour your stools black. Keep these tablets out of the reach of children.
Ferrous sulphate tablets: 200mg (65mg iron) twice a day
Ferrous sulphate 200mg tablets
Take one tablet twice a day.
Supply 56 tablets.
Age: from 12 years onwards
NHS cost: £4.12
OTC cost: £7.26
Licensed use: yes
Patient information: These tablets are usually well tolerated but may sometimes upset your stomach, causing sickness, heartburn, and possibly diarrhoea or constipation. These side effects should settle down with time, but if they are very troublesome at first you may reduce the dose to just one tablet each day. After 4 or 5 days, try increasing the number of tablets taken back up to twice a day. Taking the tablets with or after some food will also help reduce the side effects. This medicine may also colour your stools black. Keep these tablets out of the reach of children.
Ferrous sulphate tablets: 200mg (65mg iron) once a day
Ferrous sulphate 200mg tablets
Take one tablet once a day.
Supply 28 tablets.
Age: from 12 years onwards
NHS cost: £2.06
OTC cost: £3.63
Licensed use: yes
Patient information: These tablets are usually well tolerated but may sometimes upset your stomach, causing sickness, heartburn, and possibly diarrhoea or constipation. These side effects should settle down with time, but if they are very troublesome try taking the tablets with or after some food to help reduce the side effects. Trying an alternative iron salt is another option. This medicine may also colour your stools black. Keep these tablets out of the reach of children.

© NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement