[3] When used for medicinal purposes, the iron complex is polymerized and the sucrose molecules combined to form a larger polysaccharide.

Further development of iron dextran was able to lower these reactions, but also caused more severe gastrointestinal problems.

Low molecular weight alternatives were eventually introduced to counter these risks.

The first of these was ferric gluconate in 1999, which lowered the risk of unwanted gastrointestinal issues.

[3] Administration usually takes from fifteen to thirty minutes[3] and is done by a medical professional.

Often, normal saline solution (NSS) is mixed with the iron sucrose during injection.

The plasma transfers the iron to hemoglobin, where it can begin increasing erythropoiesis (red blood cell production).