Ca-AKG + Iron
Can you take Ca-AKG and Iron together?
Take them at different times — Ca-AKG is a calcium salt, and calcium blunts iron absorption.
What to do. Keep them about 2 hours apart — for example iron on waking and Ca-AKG with lunch.
Mechanism
The calcium in Ca-AKG can reduce iron absorption
About a fifth of Ca-AKG by weight is calcium (roughly 200 mg per gram). In single-meal studies, 165 mg or more of calcium reduced the absorption of iron eaten at the same time; the effect on long-term iron status is smaller.
Evidence: Human data — Human pharmacokinetic, cohort or case-series data.
Timing
A day with Ca-AKG and Iron
- 07:00
On waking
no food - 12:30
Lunch
with meal
Why this order
- Ca-AKG: Lunch instead of Breakfast — keeps it 2h+ away from Iron.
Taking more than these two?
Add the rest of your stack and your medications for a complete check.
Buying guide
What to look for on the label
Ca-AKG
- Calcium alpha-ketoglutarate — the form used in the mouse lifespan study
- Count its calcium toward your daily total
Iron
- Iron bisglycinate (gentler on the stomach)
- Check the label for elemental iron, not the salt weight
Related
Other interactions
Ca-AKG + Calcium
Ca-AKG adds to your calcium total
Calcium + Iron
Calcium reduces iron absorption from the same meal
Iron + Zinc
Zinc and iron compete when taken together without food
Curcumin + Iron
Curcumin binds iron
Iron + Vitamin C
Vitamin C boosts non-heme iron absorption
Caffeine + Iron
Coffee and tea reduce iron absorption
Learn more about Ca-AKG and Iron