Iron

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Iron

What is iron?

Iron is a mineral, an inorganic substance that is derived from the earth. Many minerals, along with vitamins, are essential micro or trace nutrients — essential because the body needs them to carry out specific vital functions, and micro or trace because minute amounts, usually a few milligrams or even less, are all that the body requires.

Why is iron important to nutrition?

Iron is necessary to make hemoglobin, the pigment in red blood cells that transports oxygen through the bloodstream and removes the carbon dioxide that is given off by cells as a waste product of metabolism. It also forms part of a substance called myoglobin, which is present in the muscles and helps supply oxygen to body tissues. In addition, iron is a component of certain enzymes and proteins.

Good sources of iron

Liver.
Shellfish.
Red meat.
Leafy, green vegetables.
Dried peas, beans, and other legumes.
Potatoes.
Dried prunes, raisins, and apricots.
Whole-grain and enriched breads and cereals.
Egg yolks.

How much iron do I need?

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of iron, established by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Science, is between 10 and 18 milligrams per day for adults and children over the age of 4.

The lower range applies to children and the higher to adults. An extra 30 to 60 milligrams a day is recommended during pregnancy.

What happens if I don't get enough iron?
Iron deficiency can result in anemia, with symptoms that include fatigue, weakness, a pale skin, and shortness of breath. Adults with iron deficiency tire easily and are unable to work as hard as they normally can. A child may have a decreased attention span and decreased learning ability, which could result in poor performance at school.

Iron-deficiency anemia is the most common nutritional deficiency in the United States, with infants, young children, adolescents, and women of

Red meat, eggs, and certain vegetables provide dietary iron.

child-bearing age being the most likely to lack dietary iron. Women are particularly vulnerable to iron-deficiency anemia because they lose a certain amount of iron each month during their menstrual period.

During pregnancy, it is almost impossible to obtain adequate iron from the diet alone, even when iron-rich foods are consumed. Thus, iron supplements are recommended to provide enough of the mineral during pregnancy, when a woman's blood volume doubles and she must also provide enough iron to last the baby for 6 months or so after birth.

What happens if I get too much iron?
When too much iron is present, it is stored for future needs. Excessive stored iron can build up to toxic levels that can damage the liver, pancreas, and heart. This condition, which is called methomechromatosis, is relatively rare. Excess iron may also increase the likelihood of developing bacterial and fungal infections, and it may worsen these infections by providing the iron the organisms need to flourish.

Should I take iron supplements?
The body is highly efficient at recycling its own iron. The liver extracts iron from old and dying red blood cells, and uses it to make new hemoglobin. Still, iron supplements are recommended during pregnancy and to treat iron-deficiency anemia. Women of reproductive age may also need iron supplements because heavy menstruation sometimes depletes their reserves.

Iron deficiency may also develop in strict vegetarians, because heme iron, which comes from animal foods, is better absorbed than nonheme iron, which comes from plant sources. Dieters, who drastically reduce their intake of

WARNING!

Don't try to self-diagnose or self-treat iron deficiency anemia. Not all forms of anemia are due to a lack of iron, and only a doctor can tell which type is present. The problem may not even be anemia. Weakness, listlessness, and a tendency to tire easily can be signs of a number of other conditions instead of anemia.

calories, and people who consume a diet that is high in fat, sugar, and calories but low in nutrients are also likely to be deficient of iron. Any chronic blood loss, such as a bleeding ulcer, can result in iron deficiency Iron supplements may be needed following surgery or an accident.

Advice about iron

Absorption of iron is enhanced by consuming citrus fruits because of their vitamin C content. Eating a vegetable or fruit that is rich in vitamin C along with foods that contain iron increases the absorption of dietary iron. For example, have beef and potatoes at the same time, or pork and tomatoes. For breakfast, try an iron-enriched cereal with a glass of orange juice.
Using cast-iron cookware can add significant amounts of iron to the diet. This is especially true of foods that are acidic, such as tomato sauce, which leach iron from the pot.
Spinach is not the best source of iron, even though many people think it is. The iron in spinach is poorly absorbed by the body.
Drinking large amounts of tea reduces the body's absorption of iron. To counter this, add lemon to tea and avoid drinking tea after an iron-rich meal.
Large amounts of bran and other cereal fiber lowers iron absorption; avoid adding extra oat or wheat brans to foods.

This article was last reviewed December 7, 2005 by Dr. James Krider.
Reproduced in part with permission of Home Health Handbook.

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