Hi Sheaman:

Both Atkins and the Eades don't recommend iron supplements. Like many things, you can have too much or too little. Too much causes free radical oxidation, contributing to hardening of the arteries, heart disease and cancer.

Iron cannot "generally" be excreted from our bodies except through blood loss. In fact, iron loss through menstruation is suspected to give women the low risk of coronary heart disease, not estrogen. This is evidenced by intact ovaries after hysterectomy increasing a woman's risk of heart disease. In fact, the Eades recommend regular blood donations for added health benefits. They have a fabulous chapter on Iron in PPLP.

According to Atkins, there are two types of iron:
1) Heme iron, which is natural and organic and doesn't build up in your body. Only 2 mg of heme iron can be absorbed by the body during a meal.
2) Non-heme iron which is synthetic and inorganic. This is the type found in most supplements and fortified foods. The body can absorb as much as 20 mg of non-heme iron at any one time.

So, the decision is yours to make.

As for the leg cramps, make sure you are taking enough potassium and magnesium. Check out the Hotlinks sticky in the Newbies section. http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthre...&threadid=28939

Wanda