Thalassemia Patients and Friends
Discussion Forums => Working Towards a Cure => Topic started by: §ãJ¡Ð ساجد on March 01, 2006, 10:40:58 AM
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I've been on this for a few days and so far it's too early to get any results. If anyone of you has been longer on this, then please do share all the details/results with us!
Thank you!
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Yeah i did & still using from last 3years the effects are time gap between transfusion is more than usual.
this worked on me like this.
pplrjsh
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hi,
i have never taken Wheat Grass before. does anyone know if it contains iron ? :huh
This is because Spirulina also reduces blood transfusion requirements but Spirulina contains high level of iron.
Nur
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Hello to all,
No Wheatgrass does not contain any iron if its taken in the liquid form...but I believe that the capsules do have some iron content in the..not sure as to how much there is in the capsules...
Its supposed to be better taken in liquid form...We here in australia have in a spray bottle and we take about 10-15 squirts morning and nite...
Hope this helps....
Take care all...
:cheer
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This question comes up from time to time, and part of the reason is because there is some confusion about wheat germ vs wheatgrass. Wheat germ is the inner kernel of a grain of wheat and is a high iron food and not recommended for thals as a supplement. However, wheatgrass is the blade of grass that sprouts from a grain of wheat and is not a relatively high iron source.
Depending on the form, juice, tablet or extract taken as a spray, the iron content of wheatgrass varies.
I will reprint a post I just did recently at http://www.thalassaemia.ws
Wheatgrass tablets contain about one third of a milligram of iron per 1000 mg of wheatgrass. Most tablets are 500 mg so if you took 6 tablets a day you would get about one mg of iron added to your diet, comparable to what a 3 ounce (84 grams) serving of chicken would contain. It's not a high amount, but like most vegetable products, it does contain some iron. However, keep in mind that iron from vegetable matter is not as easily absorbed as the iron from meat.
I would think the potential benefits of wheatgrass outweigh the small amount of iron added to the diet.
One other alternative is the wheatgrass spray sold by http://wheatgrassactive.com
It is very low in iron.
These statistics for iron content were provided by Dr Chris Reynolds:
Iron Content
Indoor grown fresh wheatgrass juice
22 mg. per litre = about 2/3 mg per 30 ml serving
Dehydrated
337mg. per kilogram = .337mg per gram
Dr. Chris Reynolds’ Wheatgrass extract: 0.16 mg. per litre
Recommended adult daily dose 20 sprays [2.8mls] -equivalent to 0.00045 mg Fe per day
So, although there is some iron content to wheatgrass, it is not high and the spray is very low in iron...almost none. You will receive far more iron from many foods such as one serving of red meat.
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Hello Everyone
Well, it was about 10 weeks ago that I wrote to this site and had said I would keep you all informed of my wifes ferretin level with intake of wheatgrass. She is Thal Intermedia.
10 weeks ago - Ferretin 475, HB 9,8
During that time, regular dose of folic acid, hydroxy Urea, antibiotics, and WHEATGRASS tablets (which contains iron).
Results after 10 weeks - Ferretin 250, HB 8.9. and feeling very energetic.
I really think the wheatgrass is helping her and could not explain the drop in Ferretin.
Will keep you all posted.
Regards
Bharat
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Bharat,
That is good news! :smileblue
I am curious about your wife's diet. Is she doing anything differently in terms on intake of iron in her food?
I would suggest that the hydroxyurea is creating more good fetal hemoglobin and therefore the mechanism in the bone marrow that creates more inefficient red blood cells slows down and less iron is absorbed from the gut as a result. This theory may be somewhat confirmed if she does show a rise in HbF.
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Hyrdoxyurea?! Sounds dangerous! :biggrin , reminds me of TriNitroToluene (TNT) Boom!
What is it and how is it good for Thals?
I'd prefer you start a seprate post for this topic (so that it becomes visible in the list) rather than replying to this message!
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I've been on this for a few days and so far it's too early to get any results.
The thought of chewing on grass (okay, drinking, whatever :rolleyes) has always been a bit much for me ..... how about, eating wheatgrass enriched steak instead??? No? ...... just kidding. :rotfl
And, if not steaks, what about rabbits? :huh
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Last night my sister brought a food magazine and showed me a table in which it showed iron content in vaiours fruits. Her point was the Apple's content which I always argued with her that it was the "Iron Weight Champ of food so I'm not gonna take a single bite", but according to the magazine, an apple contained only 0.4 mg of iron is even less than the serving of WG (see below which calculates as 2/3= 0.66 mg) that I take daily!
Iron Content
Indoor grown fresh wheatgrass juice
22 mg. per litre = about 2/3 mg per 30 ml serving
I love apples but I hadn't taken one in a long time. I was speechless in front of her as she had seen Andy's post and had a point!
So! Is it really true that apples contain less iron than 30ml of WG juice?
If any one of you would provide me the correct answer, I'll give you a small gift :wink
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Apples are relatively low in iron.
http://scc.uchicago.edu/iron.htm
Apple with skin 1 whole 0.3 mg iron
However, apples also increase the absorption of iron in the gut, as is the case with citrus fruits like oranges, so, like citrus, it is best to eat them between meals.
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I was drinking almost 200 mls of wheat grass juice daily for a few months and I didn’t notice a lot of change to my haemoglobin. I stop taking it, as I could no longer stomach the taste it was latterly making me vomit.
I then started to take “Barley & Wheat grass Combination tablets” which give me a lot of energy. But after reading some of the posts I realise I should check the iron contain of the Barley. I e-mailed the company and ask if there is added iron and if there is a natural iron content in the tablets. I haven’t had a reply. Three weeks ago my ferritin was checked and the results were interesting. My ferritin went up to 1037 from 1017. It’s not a big increase by I use my pump “Desferal” as prescribed. I’m not sure why I had an increase but I was worried that the tablets may have caused it. I was using them for about 3 months.
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We here in australia have in a spray bottle and we take about 10-15 squirts morning and nite...
Take care all...
[/quote]
How long have you been taking the wheatgrass and how has it helped you? My daughter too takes this wheatgrass.. she has been taking it for 6-8 months now...the only change so far that I see that her headaches are gone and she is much more energetic. But it still hasnt reduced her transfusion intervals?
I would like to know the experiences in Australia with the spray wheat grass.
shikha mitra