All about the Mineral - Iron

A healthy diet is the key to getting the iron you need

Iron stores

One-quarter of the world’s population is anemic, meaning they don’t get enough iron to produce the red blood cells and oxygen-carrying hemoglobin needed to nourish their myriad cells.

In the United States, blood loss is the main cause of iron deficiency and anemia. Among women, heavy menstrual periods and childbirth account for this. Among those age 65 and older, the causes of iron deficiency and anemia are likely to be internal bleeding, difficulty absorbing iron and other nutrients, and eating a less varied diet.

The average American man harbors about 3.5 grams (one-eighth of an ounce) of iron in his body. The average woman has about 2.5 grams.

Without enough stored iron, an individual can develop anemia. 

Symptoms include fatigue, loss of stamina, shortness of breath, weakness, dizziness, and a pale, unhealthy complexion. So precious is iron for your health that the body uses a protein called transferrin like a scrap metal collector to scrounge iron from old red blood cells before they are destroyed.

Keeping the reservoir full

Most of us get the iron we need from food. Proponents of the Paleo or “cave man” diet should be cheered to know that red meat, poultry, and fish contain the most easily absorbed form of dietary iron—called heme iron. This is iron attached to the hemoglobin protein. The body absorbs heme iron more easily than the iron found in plants.

The USDA recommends that women between the ages of 19 and 50 get 18 mg of iron a day, while women ages 51 and older and men 19 years and beyond need 8 mg a day. Moderate amounts of meat plus fruits and vegetables can provide that amount, helped along by the many foods fortified with iron and other vitamins and minerals, like milk, flour, and breakfast cereals. And half of all Americans get some iron from a daily multivitamin.

One caution about iron supplement: If you don’ think you are getting enough iron, or feel pooped out and assume it’s your “tired blood,” you may be tempted to pop an iron supplement as insurance. But beware. The body does not excrete iron rapidly. That means it can build up over time and, in some people, becomes toxic. The genetic disorder hemochromatosis causes iron to build up in organs, causing heart failure and diabetes.

So don’t just prescribe yourself an iron supplement on a whim; ask your doctor if you need it.

Good sources of iron

Food	Portion	Iron content (milligrams)
Fortified cold breakfast cereal	3 ounces	30 to 60
Spirulina seaweed	3 ounces	28
Oysters	3 ounces	9
Soybeans, cooked	1 cup	9
Cream of Wheat	1 serving	9
Pumpkin seeds	3 ounces	8
Spinach, boiled and drained	1 cup	7
Lentils, cooked	1 cup	7
Soybeans, cooked	1 cup	5
Kidney beans, cooked	1 cup	4
Beef, ground	4 ounces	3
Turkey, ground	4 ounces	3
Source: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference Reference - Extracted from Article written by Daniel Pendick  (for full article visit https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/healthy-diet-key-getting-iron-need-201502127710)