A liquid iron supplement
Sodium feredetate
A liquid iron supplement for iron-deficiency anaemia, often used for children or those who cannot swallow tablets.
What is Sodium feredetate?
Sodium feredetate (Sytron) is a liquid form of iron used to treat and prevent iron-deficiency anaemia, where the body lacks the iron needed to make healthy red blood cells. Because it is a liquid, it is often chosen for children or for adults who find iron tablets hard to swallow or tolerate. Like all iron, it can turn the stools black, which is harmless, and is best taken away from tea and milk, which reduce how much iron is absorbed. Keep it well out of reach of children, as iron overdose can be very dangerous.
Education and reference only. This is a plain-language guide to Sodium feredetate — it deliberately contains no doses. Doses depend on the person, the brand and the reason for treatment, and belong with your prescriber. Always check the BNF, the product labelling (SmPC) and follow medical advice.
What it is
Sodium feredetate is an oral iron supplement supplied as a liquid, sold in the UK under the brand Sytron. Iron is needed to make haemoglobin, the part of red blood cells that carries oxygen, so a shortage causes iron-deficiency anaemia with tiredness, breathlessness and paleness. Being a liquid, it is a practical option for young children and for adults who struggle to swallow tablets or find them upsetting. It is taken by mouth, usually over several months until iron stores are rebuilt.
How it works
Sodium feredetate provides iron in a form the gut can absorb, which the body then uses to make haemoglobin and restore healthy red blood cells. As iron stores refill over weeks, symptoms such as tiredness and breathlessness usually ease. The liquid form delivers iron in the same way as iron tablets, but is easier to swallow and allows the amount to be adjusted, which is helpful for children. As with all oral iron, what it is taken alongside affects how well the iron is absorbed.
Company & origin
Originated / developed by: Generic (long-established).
A liquid iron supplement used in the UK for iron-deficiency anaemia, often for children or people who cannot swallow tablets.
Practical use
How to take Sodium feredetate
General, dose-free guidance — always follow your prescriber's and the leaflet's specific instructions.
- Measure each dose carefully with the measure provided, especially for children, and take it as directed.
- Dilute it in water or juice and, where suitable, drink it through a straw to help protect the teeth, then rinse the mouth.
- Keep it a couple of hours apart from tea, coffee, milk and calcium supplements, which reduce iron absorption.
- A little vitamin C, such as orange juice, can help your body take up the iron.
- Store it well out of the sight and reach of children, as an iron overdose can be very dangerous.
Weighing it up
Advantages & disadvantages of Sodium feredetate
Advantages
- A liquid, so it is easy to swallow and well suited to children and people who cannot take tablets.
- The amount can be adjusted easily, which is useful for small children.
- An effective and inexpensive way to treat and prevent iron-deficiency anaemia.
Disadvantages
- Can stain the teeth, so it should be diluted and the mouth rinsed afterwards.
- Like all iron, it commonly turns stools black and can cause constipation or stomach upset.
- Absorption is reduced by tea, milk and calcium, so timing matters.
Practical use
Good to know
Black or very dark stools are normal with iron and harmless, though black tarry stools with stomach pain should be checked. Being a liquid, it can stain the teeth, so it helps to dilute it, drink it through a straw if suitable, and rinse the mouth afterwards. Tea, coffee, milk and calcium reduce how much iron is absorbed, so it is best separated from them, while a little vitamin C can help absorption. It is often used for children, so accurate measuring with the supplied measure matters, and it must be kept well out of their reach because iron overdose can be very dangerous. A course is usually continued for a while after the blood count recovers, to rebuild stores fully.
Who should not take it / use with caution
- People with iron-overload conditions such as haemochromatosis should not take iron unless advised.
- Generally avoided in people who have repeated blood transfusions unless a doctor recommends it.
- Used cautiously in active inflammatory bowel disease or known oral-iron intolerance.
Monitoring
- Blood tests to confirm haemoglobin and iron stores are improving.
- Checking the dose is measured accurately, especially for children.
- Looking for an underlying cause of iron deficiency if it persists or returns.
Side effects
- Black stools, constipation, nausea or stomach upset are common and usually harmless.
- Diarrhoea in some people, and possible staining of the teeth from the liquid.
- Rarely, severe stomach pain or black tarry stools that should be checked promptly.
Key interactions
- Reduces absorption of levothyroxine and some antibiotics such as tetracyclines and quinolones, so separate the timing.
- Calcium supplements, antacids and tea bind iron and lower how much is absorbed.
- Vitamin C can increase iron absorption; iron can affect certain bisphosphonate and Parkinson's medicines.
Available as: Oral liquid taken by mouth.
Answers
Sodium feredetate: frequently asked questions
Why might Sytron be chosen instead of iron tablets?
It is a liquid, so it is easier to swallow and the amount can be adjusted, which makes it a good choice for children and people who cannot take tablets.
Why have the stools turned black?
Iron normally darkens the stools and this is harmless, but black tarry stools with stomach pain should be checked in case of bleeding.
Will it stain the teeth?
Liquid iron can stain teeth, so dilute it, drink it through a straw if suitable, and rinse the mouth afterwards to reduce this.
Can I give it with milk?
It is best separated from milk, tea and coffee by a couple of hours, as these reduce how much iron is absorbed.
Is it dangerous to children?
Iron overdose can be very serious in children, so even though it is often given to children it must be measured carefully and kept well out of their reach.
The wider class
About Iron supplements (liquid)
Sodium feredetate belongs to the iron supplements (liquid) class. For how the class as a whole works, its shared safety principles and monitoring, see the full guide.
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Authoritative sources
- BNF
- NICE CKS
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