Daily Requirements
Males
1 to 3 years: 7 milligrams per day
4 to 8 years: 10 milligrams per day
9 to 13 years: 8 milligrams per day
14 to 18 years: 11 milligrams per day
19 to 50 years: 8 milligrams per day
51+ years: 8 milligrams per day
Females
1 to 3 years: 7 milligrams per day
4 to 8 years: 10 milligrams per day
9 to 13 years: 8 milligrams per day
14 to 18 years: 15 milligrams per day
19 to 50 years: 18 milligrams per day
51+ years: 8 milligrams per day
Iron deficiency results in a reduced amount of oxygen that is delivered to the cells and leads to fatigue and anemia. Not getting enough iron can also negatively affect your immune system. Deficiency can occur from lack of iron in the diet, difficulty absorbing enough iron from the foods you eat, or from chronic blood loss during menstrual periods.
Dietary iron is found in meat, fish, poultry, oats, legumes and spinach. There are two forms: the form found in animal tissue is called heme iron (from hemoglobin) and non-heme iron is the form found in plants. While both forms are acceptable, the heme iron is more easily absorbed. You can increase the availability of non-heme iron by combining the plant sources with foods rich in vitamin C.
Iron is available in supplements, however it is toxic in large amounts (over 45 mg/day) and must be sold in child-proof bottles to reduce the risk of accidental iron poisoning. Supplements should only be used with the supervision of a health care professional.
Also Known As: ferrous fumarate, ferrous sulfate, ferrous gluconate
Sources:
Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Iron. Office of Dietary Supplements. Accessed February 17, 2010. http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/iron/.
