Iron

What is Iron?

Iron is an important mineral. It is needed to help our red blood cells deliver oxygen to the rest of the body. Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron.

Iron is the only nutrient for which women have a higher daily requirement than men. The U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of iron for men is 10 milligrams for men and 15 milligrams for women.

Main Functions of Iron

Low Iron Level

Low iron levels can cause people to develop iron deficiency anemia. When a person is anemic, their blood contains low levels of oxygen.

Symptoms of Iron Deficiency

Some of the most common symptoms of iron deficiency are:

• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Rapid heartbeat
• Fainting
• Susceptibility to infection, and
• Swelling of the tongue

Iron Absorption

Iron absorption refers to the amount of dietary iron that your body obtains from the food you eat. Healthy adults absorb about 15% of the iron in their diet.

The actual amount of iron your body absorbs depends on the amount of iron already stored in your body. When your body has low amounts of iron stored, it will absorb more iron from the foods you eat. When your body has a large amount of iron stored, the amount of iron it absorbs will decrease.

If the body absorbs too much iron, a condition called hemochromatosis will occur.

Iron Supplements

If you think you may need iron supplements, please consult your doctor. Consumption of too much iron can be dangerous, leading to liver or heart damage.

Sources of Iron

The main source of iron is red meat. Other sources of iron include: meats, some fish, beans, dried fruit, spinach. Iron can also be found in breakfast cereals that are fortified with iron.

Too Much Iron

It is possible to have too much iron in your body. Some people have a condition where they have too much iron in their blood. This condition is called Haemochromatosis.

Haemochromatosis is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by an increase in iron absorption relative to body iron stores.

Symptoms of Haemochromatosis depend on the amount of iron in the body. Some of the common early symptoms are: lethargy and fatigue.

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