Iron in diet: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

P Iron is a mineral found in every cell of the body. Iron is considered an essential mineral because it is needed to make hemoglobin, a part of blood cells.

T Function
P The human body needs iron to make the oxygen-carrying proteins hemoglobin and myoglobin. Hemoglobin is found in red blood cells and myoglobin is found in muscles.

T Food Sources
P The best sources of iron include:
- Dried beans
- Dried fruits
- Eggs (especially egg yolks)
- Iron-fortified cereals
- Liver
- Lean red meat (especially beef)
- Oysters
- Poultry, dark red meat
- Salmon
- Tuna
- Whole grains
P Reasonable amounts of iron are also found in lamb, pork, and shellfish.
P Iron from vegetables, fruits, grains, and supplements is harder for the body to absorb. These sources include:
P Dried fruits:
- Prunes
- Raisins
- Apricots
P Legumes:
- Lima beans
- Soybeans
- Dried beans and peas
- Kidney beans
P Seeds:
- Almonds
- Brazil nuts
P Vegetables:
- Broccoli
- Spinach
- Kale
- Collards
- Asparagus
- Dandelion greens
P Whole grains:
- Wheat
- Millet
- Oats
- Brown rice
P If you mix some lean meat, fish, or poultry with beans or dark leafy greens at a meal, you can improve absorption of vegetable sources of iron up to three times. Foods rich in vitamin C ( such as citrus, strawberries, tomatoes, and potatoes) also increase iron absorption. Cooking foods in a cast-iron skillet can also help to increase the amount of iron provided.
P Some foods reduce iron absorption. For example, commercial black or pekoe teas contain substances that bind to dietary iron so it cannot be used by the body.

T Side Effects
P LOW IRON LEVEL
P The human body stores some iron to replace any that is lost. However, low iron level over a long period of time can lead to iron deficiency anemia. Symptoms include lack of energy, shortness of breath, headache, irritability, dizziness, or weight loss. Physical signs of iron deficiency are a pale tongue and spoon-shaped nails.
P Those at risk for low iron level includes:
- Women who are menstruating, especially if they have heavy periods
- Women who are pregnant or who have just had a baby
- Long-distance runners
- People with any type of bleeding in the intestines (for example, a bleeding ulcer)
- People who frequently donate blood
- People with gastrointestinal conditions that make it hard to absorb nutrients from food
P Babies and young children are at risk for low iron level if they do not get the right foods. Babies moving to solid foods should eat iron-rich foods. Infants are born with enough iron to last about six months. An infant's additional iron needs are met by breast milk. Infants that are not breastfed should be given an iron supplement or iron-fortified infant formula.
P Children between age 1 and 4 grow rapidly. This uses up iron in the body. Children of this age should be given iron-fortified foods or an iron supplement.
P Milk is a very poor source of iron. Children who drink large quantities of milk and avoid other foods may develop "milk anemia." Recommended milk intake is 2 to 3 cups (480 to 720 milliliters) per day for toddlers.
P TOO MUCH IRON
P The genetic disorder called hemochromatosis affects the body's ability to control how much iron is absorbed. This leads to too much iron in the body. Treatment consists of a low-iron diet, no iron supplements, and phlebotomy (blood removal) on a regular basis.
P It is unlikely that a person would take too much iron. However, children can sometimes develop iron poisoning by swallowing too many iron supplements. Symptoms of iron poisoning include:
- Fatigue
- Anorexia
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Headache
- Weight loss
- Shortness of breath
- Grayish color to the skin

T Recommendations
P The Food and Nutrition Board at the Institute of Medicine recommends the following:
P Infants and children
- Younger than 6 months: 0.27 milligrams per day (mg/day)*
- 7 months to 1 year: 11 mg/day
- 1 to 3 years: 7 mg/day
- 4 to 8 years: 10 mg/day
P *AI or Adequate Intake
P Males
- 9 to 13 years: 8 mg/day
- 14 to 18 years: 11 mg/day
- Age 19 and older: 8 mg/day
P Females
- 9 to 13 years: 8 mg/day
- 14 to 18 years: 15 mg/day
- 19 to 50 years: 18 mg/day
- 51 and older: 8 mg/day
- Pregnant women of all ages: 27 mg/day
- Lactating women 19 to 30 years: 9 mg/day
P Women who are pregnant or producing breast milk may need different amounts of iron. Ask your health care provider what is appropriate for you.

T Alternative Names
P Diet - iron; Ferric acid; Ferrous acid; Ferritin

T Images
- Iron supplements

T References
P Institute of Medicine, Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenium, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc. Washington, DC; National Academies Press; 2001. PMID: 25057538 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25057538.
P Mason JB. Vitamins, trace minerals, and other micronutrients. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 25th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016:chap 218.
P Parks EP, Maqbool A, Shaikhkhalil A, Groleau V, Dougherty KA, Stallings VA. Nutritional requirements. In: Kliegman RM, Stanton BF, St. Geme JW, Schor NF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 20th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2016:chap 44.

T Review Date 1/7/2017
P Updated by: Emily Wax, RD, The Brooklyn Hospital Center, Brooklyn, NY. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

