Hematogen - a “bloody” delicacy from the pharmacy: how is it useful and who can it harm?

Dark brown drugstore bars are a tasty and cheap treat that many kids love. But what does hematogen bring more to the body, benefit or harm? The article will discuss in detail the composition of this product. In the end, you will decide whether it is worth buying Hematogen for health purposes.

Composition of hematogen

At the end of the 19th century, a medicine against anemia based on bovine blood was invented in Switzerland. Back then, they didn’t really care about the taste of the product. But the sweet, hard tile, which tastes like toffee, was invented in the Soviet Union after the end of World War II. Since then, the recipe has remained almost unchanged.

Composition of hematogen according to Russian GOST:

• food grade black albumin;
• condensed milk;
• starch syrup;
• sugar;
• vanillin.

Let's analyze each component in detail and see what beneficial and harmful properties it has.

Albumin black food grade

It is a dry powder - a product of processing whole bovine blood. This is the only medicinal component in Hematogen. It contains the protein albumin, which is easily absorbed by the body.

What is the value of albumin? It is enriched with iron, an important element involved in the process of transporting oxygen to various tissues and organs.

More than 60% of people have experienced iron deficiency at least once in their lives. If there is a shortage of such a microelement in the body, a person is concerned about the following problems:

• chronic fatigue;
• drowsiness;
• addiction to fatty and sweet foods;
• weak immunity;
• hormonal disorders;
• headache;
• deterioration of memory and attention.

Therefore, hematogen is a dietary supplement that is used to prevent iron deficiency and associated symptoms. But for serious diseases (for example, anemia), black tiles will no longer help.

The content of black food albumin in this hematogen is 4-5%. This product is sold in pharmacies, and its use really affects the composition of the blood. Many Russian confectionery manufacturers began to produce a delicacy with the same name, but with an albumin content of only 2-3% (or without it at all). Therefore, you will not get any health benefits from the tiles sold in supermarkets.

Despite the high content of easily digestible iron, black food albumin is not such an unambiguous component. The problem lies in its production.

1. When a bull is killed, a large amount of stress hormones are released into the blood: cortisol, adrenaline and norepinephrine. These substances become part of the dry albumin powder. Animal hormones negatively affect human health, in particular, they contribute to metabolic disorders and weight gain. The hormone cortisol impairs thinking abilities.
2. The bull's blood must be purified from microorganisms, steroids, stimulants, and antibiotics.Many manufacturers make mistakes at this stage because it is economically expensive, and the finished product is cheap. When using hematogen, side effects are possible - rashes and redness on the skin, swelling of the mucous membrane.
3. At the blood stabilization stage, polyphosphates are used. These substances are harmful because they bind and remove calcium from the body.

Thus, black food albumin is both beneficial and harmful. Whether it's worth buying a black bar is up to you to decide.

Condensed milk, starch syrup, sugar

This group of food components is used to remove the taste of blood in hematogen. Interestingly, the content of condensed milk, molasses and sugar in the bar is 95–97%. There is nothing useful in them, but there are harmful properties in abundance.

Excessive consumption of sugar and sweet foods leads to the following health problems:

• metabolic disorders;
• diabetes mellitus;
• obesity;
• caries;
• premature aging;
• skin rashes.

Although hematogen contains a lot of iron, you should not overeat black butternut squashes. Nobody has canceled the harm of sugar.

Vanillin

Due to the similar sound of the words “vanilla” and “vanillin” and pictures with yellow flowers on packages, people often confuse the spice with a synthetic flavoring. Vanilla is really useful, but it is an expensive exotic plant. But vanillin is obtained in a chemical laboratory from the following components:

• petrochemical raw materials;
• wood waste pulp;
• coal tar;
• Dipteryx tree beans.

The last component is especially dangerous because it contains coumarin, a toxic substance that damages the liver.

As you may have guessed, vanillin is a harmful flavoring agent.However, the composition of hematogen includes only 0.01% - a concentration that is safe for the body, if you do not eat black bars like candy.

Other Supplements

In recent years, on the shelves of pharmacies and stores you can find hematogen with the addition of dried fruits, candied fruits, coconut flakes, nuts, and chocolate. They improve the taste of the bar.

We do not recommend purchasing this product. Any additives interfere with the absorption of iron and make hematogen more caloric.

The benefits of hematogen

Due to the presence of black food albumin, the sweet bar is a good source of iron and amino acids. In addition to participating in the process of hematopoiesis and oxygen transfer, iron has the following beneficial properties:

• protects the body from bacteria and viruses (strengthens the immune system);
• participates in the synthesis of thyroid hormones;
• helps absorb B vitamins;
• destroys oxidation products, slowing down the aging process;
• improves the functioning of the nervous system.

Hematogen also contains vitamin A, which is good for vision, necessary for normal muscle growth and stimulates the immune system.

For women

Women experience iron deficiency more often than men. This is due to blood loss during menstruation, childbirth, and hormonal imbalances in the body.

The benefit of Hematogen for women is that the black bar prevents iron deficiency. Vitamin A in the product has antioxidant properties, that is, it slows down the aging process and strengthens hair and nails.

For men

The benefit of Hematogen for men is that the high-calorie bar, rich in amino acids, increases endurance, energy, and physical strength.Students, bachelors and businessmen who do not have time to prepare nutritious meals often face iron deficiency. They can include hematogen in their diet to feel better.

For children

Iron and vitamin A are especially needed by a growing body. Some doctors claim that in moderate quantities, hematogen strengthens the child’s immunity, improves his thinking abilities, which helps cope with stress at school and improve academic performance.

Harm of hematogen

Not all experts share the common position that hematogen is a useful product. They believe that there is much more harm in the bars. To replenish the lack of iron and vitamins in the body, experts recommend not relying on hematogen, but balancing the diet. Include the following products: beef liver, chicken yolks, white beans, seafood, lentils, spinach.

Why is hematogen harmful?

• Contains a huge amount of calories and fast carbohydrates. From one bar a day you get the same harm to your figure as from a Snickers bar or a small chocolate bar weighing 25-30 grams. For children who move a lot, this is not critical, but adults should think about it.
• Side effects. If the blood from which the albumin was made has not undergone high-quality purification, then the opposite effect can be obtained: weakened immunity, skin irritation, swelling, deterioration of brain function, and gastrointestinal disorders.

At the same time, it is impossible to verify the safety of the components, to find out where the blood was supplied from for the production of albumin (possibly from radioactive contamination zones), and what technologies were used to process it. You buy the bar at your own risk.

Overdose is also dangerous.If you overuse the product, the blood thickens, which can lead to the formation of blood clots.

List of contraindications

Hematogen is primarily a dietary supplement, not a candy. Contraindications to the use of black bars are as follows:

• age up to 6 years;
• diabetes;
• obesity;
• lack of calcium in the body;
• increased blood clotting, thrombophlebitis;
• taking antibiotics, drugs for the heart and normalization of blood pressure, diuretics.

Taking the bar during pregnancy and breastfeeding remains questionable. Some doctors believe that during such periods a woman’s body loses a lot of iron and needs additional dietary supplements. Others prohibit their patients from eating black bars because it is not known how the foreign substances in albumin will affect the fetus.

If you doubt the composition of hematogen, do not take risks. There are other, safer sources of iron.

How to choose and take hematogen correctly?

Buy the product only at the pharmacy. Hematoges on store shelves are products of the food industry; they contain almost no iron and amino acids. Pay attention to the composition. The fewer additives, the better. The only exception is vitamins, which some pharmaceutical companies enrich the product with. The shelf life of the tiles should not come to an end.

The best hematogen is one that contains vitamin C (ascorbic acid). This component helps the body absorb iron.

If possible, buy the most expensive bars. A cheap product most likely contains albumin of low quality (poor purity) or in low concentration - up to 3%.

How to take Hematogen? The specific dosage depends on age, weight, and health status, so it is better to consult a doctor. As a rule, children 6–12 years old are allowed to eat 35 grams, and adolescents and adults – 50 grams of hematogen per day. You need to divide the product into 3 doses: morning, afternoon and evening.

Conclusion

Thus, hematogen is not such a harmless sweet as many people think. Its main value is saturating the body with iron, amino acids and vitamin A. But due to the questionable process of albumin production and high sugar content, it is still unknown what is more in hematogen: benefit or harm. The final decision, as always, is yours.