| abstract |
A dietary calcium and iron supplement for oral ingestion comprises a nutritionally effective amount of a composition comprising iron, a delayed release coating surrounding said iron composition which delays release of said iron from said coating, and a nutritionally effective amount of a substantially immediate release composition comprising calcium. After the supplement reaches the stomach, the calcium is rapidly available for entry into the small intestine while the release of the iron in the small intestine is delayed for at least one hour after the entry of the calcium into the small intestine. As a result, calcium and iron can be simultaneously delivered without adverse mineral interactions. |