What and why is it part of the hematogen?

All of us from childhood remember the taste of a chocolate-like plate of hematogen. This medicine is a rare combination of undeniable health benefits and pleasant tastes. But not all of us know the composition of the hematogen, and why it is recommended for anemia. In order to answer these questions, we need to go almost a century and a half ago.

Hematogen against anemia

Back in the late nineteenth century, scientists found that iron is one of the most important trace elements. It turned out that it provides oxygen exchange in the body. With frequent blood loss, malnutrition, extensive hematomas of soft tissues, the amount of iron is greatly reduced.

Patients with anemia complain of weakness, lethargy, dizziness and fainting. Ailment, which in the days of AP. Chekhov was called "pale sick", they were successfully treated with the intake of iron-containing bioadditives. The first discoverer of the hematogen was the Swiss doctor Gommel, who in 1890 released a medicine based on bovine blood. Later, the invented drug was used to treat iron deficiency anemia in Russia. Hematogen, habitual for several generations, appeared after the October Revolution. It was thanks to this unprepossessing "chocolate" in the post-war years that children and adults compensated for malnutrition and restored health.

Components of "tasty medicine"

The composition of the hematogen includes dried defibrinated blood of cattle. As this fact provoked some rejection, on modern packages of this product the component began to be called differently - "albumin black food". In other words, it is the main protein of blood. It is necessary to maintain the volume and pressure of the plasma, and also participates in the transportation of several types of hormones. The quality of "delicacies" directly depends on the amount of albumin. This protein is contained in large volume in a dry preparation of blood of cattle.

The "Soviet" composition of the hematogen (bovine blood, condensed milk and starch syrup) is now supplemented with different flavor additives. The medicine has become a popular brand with a name that evokes consumer confidence. Most often, the change in the composition of the product occurs at the expense of its beneficial properties. Therefore, when choosing this bioadditive, attention should be paid not to the brightness of the package, but, first of all, to the composition of the hematogen. It must necessarily include food albumin black and auxiliary substances such as ascorbic acid, condensed milk with sugar, vanillin and starch syrup. It is desirable that the composition of the hematogen did not include flavoring, and the phrase "food albumin black" was listed first. The best option is when the percentage of components is indicated: albumin should be 4-5% of the total weight of the product.

To date, hematogen is no longer the most effective remedy for iron deficiency in the body. Nevertheless, this delicious medicine is still popular with children and adults.