Our bodies require small amounts of minerals, and many minerals become toxic at higher concentrations. Iron, for example, is an essential mineral that is required for many cellular functions. However, like many other nutrients, excessive amounts are harmful. So, let’s take a look how important Iron is in our body.

What is Iron and What does it do?

Iron is an essential dietary mineral needed for growth and development. It is used by the body to produce hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells that transports oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body, and myoglobin, a protein that provides oxygen to muscles. Iron is also important for a healthy immune system and in the production of some enzymes. If there is not enough iron in the body, we will not have enough red blood cells to transport oxygen which leads to extreme fatigue.

A certain amount of extra iron can be stored by the body in a red blood cell protein called ferritin. So, when the body does not get enough iron from the diet, it uses the iron stored in ferritin to make hemoglobin. Without adequate iron stores, one can develop iron-deficiency anemia, a condition associated with fatigue, weakness, pale skin and headache.

Where can we get Iron?

Iron is naturally found in many foods. It is present in both plant and animal foods. There are two forms of dietary iron: heme and non-heme. Heme iron is obtained mainly from hemoglobin and myoglobin and is found in animal foods (meat, fish, and poultry). While, Non-heme iron is present mainly in plant foods (nuts, fruits, vegetables, grains, and tofu), and dairy products (milk, cheese, and eggs). However, dairy products have little amount of iron. Heme-iron is readily bioavailable than non-heme and is therefore, it can be absorbed easily in the body.

Best sources: liver, glandular organs

Good Sources: meat, fish, poultry, legumes (beans, soybean), green leafy vegetables (malunggay, kangkong, gabi leaves, saluyot, kamote tops), seaweeds (lato), and certain dried fruits (prunes)

Moderate Sources: Cereal grains (rice, corn)

Aside from natural iron found in foods, it is also added to some fortified foods including breads, rolls, pasta, cereals, flour, etc. Vitamin C rich foods such as peppers, guava, strawberries, cauliflower, mango, papaya, and citrus fruits enhances iron absorption. However, calcium rich foods (dairy products) impair iron absorption.

How much Iron do we need?

Iron needs differ depending on age and gender. Women, for example, needs to have more iron to replace the amount lost in blood during menstruation. Pregnant women require more iron than lactating women because your iron requirements increase during pregnancy to support the needs of the fetus. It is assumed that iron is not lost during lactation because lactating women produce prolactin, a hormone that inhibits menstruation.

Table 1 shows the Philippine Dietary Recommended and Tolerable Upper Intake of Iron per day among all age group.

Our bodies require iron for growth and development, but we should always get it from food. If the requirements cannot be met solely through diet, consumption of iron-rich and iron-fortified foods and the use of supplements are recommended, if necessary. Just make sure to Consult your physician before taking iron supplements to avoid iron toxicity, which can lead to other health problems.

(//Wendy B. Terec, CMU On-the-Job Trainee)

References

BSc, A. A., PhD. (2017, June 4). The Dark Side of Iron - Why Too Much is Harmful. Healthline. Retrieved from: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/why-too-much-iron-is-harmful

Fenneld. (2021, August 12). How to Add Foods That Are High in Iron to Your Diet. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved from https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-add-more-iron-to-your-diet/

Foods high in iron. (n.d.). Healthdirect. Retrieved from https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/foods-high-in-iron

Iron supplements: When and how to take them. (2020, June 8). Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/iron-supplements#_noHeaderPrefixedContent

            Office of Dietary Supplements - Iron. (n.d.-b). Retrieved from: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-Consumer/

Kubala, M. J. S. (2022, August 1). The 15 Best Iron Supplements of 2022, According to Dietitians. Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/best-iron-supplement#importance

Spritzler, F. (2020, January 27). 12 Healthy Foods That Are High in Iron. Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/healthy-iron-rich-foods

Wartenberg, L. M. (2019, December 9). How Much Iron Do You Need per Day? Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-much-iron-per-day#the-right-amount 

Why do we need iron? Why do we need iron in our diet? (n.d.). Eat Balanced. Retrieved from: https://www.eatbalanced.com/why-eat-balanced/why-do-we-need-minerals/iron/