Aurelo
Should You Take Iron With Vitamin C?
Yes. Vitamin C eaten with non-heme iron, the iron in plant and fortified foods, raises how much is absorbed.[1]
Based on NIH Office of Dietary Supplements — Iron fact sheet · Updated October 10, 2026
Vitamin C raises non-heme iron absorption[1]
Vitamin C enhances the bioavailability of non-heme iron, the form in plant and fortified foods.
Eating a vitamin C source with non-heme iron foods can raise iron absorption.
Source [1]Iron: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. (ods.od.nih.gov)
Log your supplements and meals, and Aurelo flags pairings like this one in your own stack, with the days they happened.
Get started freeRelated
- Should You Take Collagen With Vitamin C?Vitamin C is needed to build collagen, so make sure you get enough of it.
- Do Vitamin C and Vitamin E Work Together?Yes. Vitamin C has been shown to regenerate vitamin E in the body.
- Do Iron and Manganese Compete?They are linked: iron deficiency raises manganese absorption and can make manganese toxicity worse.
- Does Vitamin A Help Iron?Vitamin A is needed to mobilise iron, so if iron and vitamin A are both short, address both.
- Does Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) Help Iron?Riboflavin is needed to use iron, so check riboflavin sources such as dairy, eggs and fortified grains when iron is short.
- Do Coffee and Tea Block Iron Absorption?Coffee and tea can inhibit iron absorption: in a study in adults, coffee and tea drunk with a bread meal cut the iron absorbed from it.
Sources
- Iron: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. ods.od.nih.gov
This page is general information from the cited sources, not medical advice. If you take prescription medication, are pregnant, or manage a health condition, check supplement changes with a pharmacist or doctor.