Are You Getting Enough Iron?

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Feeling Tired and Sluggish?

In some cases, people who feel tired and unproductive are suffering from an iron deficiency. Iron deficiency most often comes from eating an iron-poor diet over a period of time. Currently, 10 percent or more of the population may be deficient in iron. Women are at a greater risk.

Anemia

The first thing that happens when you don't get enough iron, is that your stores are depleted. This can eventually result in anemia which is when blood hemoglobin drops, and red blood cells become small and pale. The symptoms of anemia usually come on slowly and can include fatigue, irritability, headaches, lack of energy, and tingling of the hands and feet. Feelings of weakness and fatigue, however, shouldn't trigger you to start taking iron supplements. Consult your physician first.

Sources of Iron

Iron comes in three forms:

• heme: found only in animal sources
• non-heme: found in plants
• additive iron: iron is "added" to foods in which iron is not naturally found.

Functions of Iron

The main role of iron in the body is its function in hemoglobin. Hemoglobin helps carry oxygen in your blood to your lungs to every body cell.

Some vitamin C rich foods help absorption of iron. Good sources include: citrus fruits and juices, dark green vegetables, cauliflower, cabbage, tomatoes, cantaloupe, and strawberries. These foods can substantially increase absorption of non-heme (iron from plants) and additive iron.

Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for Iron

Adult men 10mg/day
Women ages 11-50 15mg/day
Women ages 51+ 10mg/day
Pregnant women 30mg/day

How to Increase Iron Intake

• Eat a small amount of meat several times a week.
• Consume iron and vitamin C rich foods at the same meal. Vitamin C enhances iron absorption.
• Buy enriched and fortified foods. Read the labels!
• Go easy on coffee and tea. Coffee can decrease iron absorption by as much as 39 percent and tea, by 87 percent, when consumed with a meal.

Iron amounts in foods

The list below shows the amount of total iron in food. Remember, iron from most animal sources is usually better absorbed by the body than iron from plant sources.