What is Iron?
Iron is a mineral that our bodies need in order to function properly. Without the right daily intake of this mineral, we would start to experience some serious health issues. Even though iron is important for both men and women, the female population needs it more due to certain reproductive and biological factors.
One of the most important roles of iron is the production of red blood cells. It is also a part of a compound known as hemoglobin that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body’s tissues and returning carbon dioxide from the same tissues back to the lungs.
Since it’s such an important mineral, you should really watch your iron intake. Deficiencies are extremely common nowadays, and can result in a number of health problems.
Anemia is a very common health risk associated with iron deficiency, and can leave you feeling extreme tiredness, weakness, and inability to concentrate properly. This will happen because certain body parts don’t get a high, constant supply of oxygen.
Why the Body Needs Iron
Energy Production
Every professional athlete has to have impeccable iron levels, as this mineral is responsible for supporting proper metabolism for organs and muscles. Almost every cell in our body creates energy by burning dietary calories. However, this is a process that requires iron. If you don’t consume sufficient amounts of this mineral, then you’ll start experiencing tiredness.
Oxygen Transport
This is without a doubt the most important role of iron. Every single tissue in the body needs a constant supply of oxygen. Red cells in our blood are the main reason why oxygen gets delivered to these tissues, since they contain a protein known as hemoglobin.
This compound carefully transports the oxygen from the lungs to every single part of the body, and then returns to the lungs with an equal supply of carbon dioxide, which we then release from our body.
Brain Function
The brain uses roughly 20% of the blood oxygen in our body, so it comes as no surprise that iron is incredibly important when it comes to the proper development of the brain. This mineral is directly related to increased cognitive function and improved brain health.
Cognitive activity easily gets stimulated by proper flow of blood in the brain. Iron also helps create new neural pathways, which can prevent certain cognitive disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Immune System
The immune system of the human body greatly strengthens when it gets provided with enough iron. When you consume a sufficient amount of this mineral, your body gets prepared to fight against numerous infections and diseases. Not to mention that iron also helps damaged cells, tissues, and organs heal faster by providing oxygen to them.
Insomnia
If you can’t seem to fall asleep properly, then increased iron intake may be the solution to your problems. This mineral is pretty useful when it comes to improving sleeping habits and even treating insomnia.
Red blood cells generally have a big impact on your sleep, as they help maintain normal blood pressure levels. The reason why some people often can’t go to sleep is because they experience fluctuations of blood pressure.
Enzyme Systems
Certain enzyme systems heavily rely on the presence of iron. If these systems don’t function properly, they can cause certain organ systems to slow down significantly, or to even shut down in some cases.
Fatigue
If you’re suffering from chronic or unexplained fatigue, then you might want to check your iron levels. A deficiency of this mineral can cause fatigue. This is due to the fact that the compound that transports oxygen within our body contains iron.
Without oxygen, your body simply doesn’t function efficiently. That’s why healthy levels of iron will keep you energetic, healthy, and fit.
Chronic Diseases
Iron is known for its ability to help in the treatment of certain chronic diseases of the excretory and intestinal system. Remember that this mineral is a key part to numerous processes in many of the body’s systems.
Regulation of Body Temperature
When your body temperature is stable, metabolic and enzymatic functions reach an optimal level.
Neurotransmitter Synthesis
Iron plays a big role in the synthesis of numerous essential neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. These chemicals have a huge effect on a number of different activities involving neurons. These neurotransmitters are also linked to enhanced mood.
If you’re suffering from iron deficiency, then your number of essential neurotransmitters will drop, which can cause lack of motivation, low energy levels, and poor mood.
Health Risks Associated with Iron Deficiency
Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in America. The Centers for Disease Control report that around 10% of women in the US are iron deficient. This mineral is an extremely important part of many functions in the body.
There are numerous health risks associated with iron deficiencies, such as chronic fatigue, shortness of breath, anemia, muscle weakness, and insomnia. This mineral is also responsible for maintaining healthy cells, hair, skin, and nails.
A common result of iron deficiency is restless legs syndrome (RLS), which is a disorder of the part of the nervous system responsible for providing us with the urge to move our legs. This also interferes with sleep, which is why RLS is also considered to be a sleep disorder. In order to successfully cure this problem, you will need to take the adequate dosage of iron supplements prescribed by your doctor.
Who is Most at Risk
Although anyone can suffer from iron deficiency, regardless of age or gender, there are still some people who are at greater risk for this condition.
These people include:
- Vegetarians who don’t replace meat with some other iron-rich food
- Pregnant women
- People with poor eating habits
- People who donate blood frequently
- Infants and children
Anemia Complications
Anemia is without a doubt the most common condition caused by low levels of iron. This condition is marked by low energy levels, poor brain function and an inability to fight off illnesses are just some of the risks associated with anemia.
The good news about this condition is that it is easily treatable, so mild iron deficiency anemia won’t cause any complication. However, if it goes untreated, it can lead to some serious health problems. Some of the most notable complications associated with anemia include:
Growth Problems
Infants and children generally have a high risk of suffering from anemia, which may lead to delayed growth and development. It can also increase the risk of infections.
Heart Problems
If your anemia goes untreated, you may notice an irregular or rapid heartbeat. This occurs because your heart starts pumping more blood in order to compensate for the lack of oxygen that gets transported (when there’s less iron, there’s less of the compound responsible for transporting oxygen). This can lead to either heart failure or an enlarged heart.
Problems During Pregnancy
Women need to be really careful when it comes to iron intake while they’re pregnant. In case a pregnant woman starts suffering from anemia and doesn’t treat it properly, it can lead to premature births.
Signs of Iron Deficiency
People usually have no idea they’re iron deficient until they start experiencing some serious symptoms.
Some of the most common signs of iron deficiency include:
- Shortness of breath
- Fast heartbeat
- Sore tongue
- Cold hands and feet
- Trouble concentrating
- Lack of motivation and energy
- Brittle hair and nails
- Sores at the corner of the mouth
- Significant weight changes
- Mood changes
- Difficulty in exercising
- Hair loss
- Difficulty swallowing
Thankfully, a simple blood test is all that is needed to diagnose the stage of your iron deficiency, and for your doctor to prescribe the right medication.
Recommended Iron Intake for Men and Women
Men aged 19 to 50, the recommended dietary allowance is 8 milligrams of iron
Women aged 19 to 50 need 18 milligrams a day
Both men and women older than 51 should consume 8 milligrams of this mineral every day.
Pregnant women should consume 27 milligrams of iron a day.
Considering that children are often at risk of suffering from iron deficiency, it’s important that they (as well as their parents) are aware of the recommended dietary allowances for them.
Children up to the age of 14, the RDA for iron is the same for both genders.
Infants aged 7 to 12 months should consume 11 milligrams of iron.
Kids aged 1 to 3 should consume 7 milligrams, while those aged 4-8 need to have an intake of 10 milligrams.
Children from 9 to 13 years of age should consume 8 milligrams of iron a day.
Boys aged 14 to 18 should have a daily intake of 11 milligrams
Girls aged 14 to 18 should consume 15 milligrams.
Iron Rich Foods
Most people are aware of the fact that meat, and more specifically, red meat contains a lot of iron. While this is without a doubt correct, some of the best sources of iron are actually plant-based foods. It may be a surprising fact, but people who rely on a plant-based diet have the same or higher iron intake as those who eat meat regularly.
No matter what you base your diet around, you’ll need to make sure you consume enough of this mineral, as iron deficiency is the most common form of nutritional deficiency.
First of all, you should know that there are two types of iron – heme and non-heme.
Heme iron gets derived from hemoglobin, and is found in animal foods that contained this compound – for example red meats, poultry, and fish.
However, it’s worth noting that seafood, poultry, and meat contain both non-heme and heme iron, while plant-based foods contain only non-heme iron.
When it comes to high iron content, eating beef, pork, or chicken liver is an excellent choice. Beef liver contains about 5 milligrams of iron per slice, while pork liver contains even more.
However, chicken liver is the best option out of the three when it comes to iron content. Not to mention that this food also boasts a lot of protein, numerous vitamins, and other minerals.
Nevertheless, know that liver is also high in cholesterol, which is why you should always eat it in moderation. Pregnant women should especially be careful with how much liver they eat.
Other incredible non-meat sources of iron include:
Vegetables
- Potatoes
- Sun dried tomatoes
- Arugula
- Tomato paste
- Cooked spinach
- Peas
- Turnip greens
- Collard greens
- Beet greens
- Swiss chard
- Broccoli
Beans
- Black beans
- Black-eyed peas
- Chickpeas
- Kidney beans
- Lentils
- Lima beans
- Pinto beans
- Tahini
- White beans
Soy
- Tofu
- Spirulina
- Soybeans
- Tempeh
Grains
- Brown rice
- Quinoa
- Oatmeal
- Enriched bagel
- Whole wheat pasta
Seeds
- Pumpkin Seeds
Fruits
- Dried apricots
- Dried peaches
- Prune juice
- Strawberries
Miscellaneous
- Dark chocolate
- Blackstrap molasses
- Dried thyme
The iron levels in your body not only depend on your iron intake, but your other eating habits as well. There are some foods that hinder iron from foods that contain this mineral, while others can help you absorb it.
- In order to absorb the most iron from eating, you should avoid drinking tea or coffee.
- It’s also a good idea to stop consuming calcium-rich drinks and foods with meals that contain a lot of iron.
- Eating iron along with a good source of vitamin C (such as strawberries, broccoli, or orange juice) can further help improve your iron absorption.
- You should try eating non-heme iron-rich foods together with foods from the poultry, seafood, and meat group as well.
Do You Need Supplements?
If for some reason you’re having trouble getting enough iron from foods, you might need to start taking an iron supplement. However, this isn’t a decision that you should make on your own. Consulting a doctor would be the right course of action, as that way you’ll get prescribed the proper dosage.
Taking high amounts of iron supplements can be dangerous and could even lead to a deadly overdose. Although it is an essential mineral, iron can be dangerous because only a small amount of it gets excreted from the body, meaning that it can accumulate in organs and body tissues if you consume a large amount of it. This can lead to the normal storage sites such as the spleen, liver, and bone marrow to become full and lead to harmful effects of iron toxicity.
The most notable signs of iron toxicity include dehydration, abdominal pain, vomiting blood, diarrhea, dizziness, low blood pressure, lack of energy, weak pulse, and a metallic taste in the mouth.
So, even though some people need to take supplements in order to maintain healthy iron levels, you should always consult your doctor before taking them. Most supplements contain non-heme iron, which typically gets absorbed less effectively than heme iron.
Ask your doctor before taking iron supplements.
Final Thoughts
There are a number of highly complex processes in the body that rely on iron. One of the most important processes includes the transport of oxygen throughout the body. Iron is found in a compound known as hemoglobin, which is tasked with getting oxygen from the lungs to the cells to every part of the body and then returning carbon dioxide to the lungs so we can exhale it.
A constant supply of oxygen is required for us to stay alive and for our body to function properly. If you don’t consume enough iron, then you’ll be in the risk of experiencing extreme tiredness, as well as numerous other health problems.
If you’re into sports and often engage in physical activity, then you should definitely pay attention to your iron levels, as they are also responsible for converting blood sugar to energy, thus helping your muscles work at an optimal level during exercise.
Even though iron is a mineral vital to our health, a lot of people simply don’t consume a sufficient amount of it. This leads to iron deficiency, which can cause a number of health problems, with anemia being the most prominent one.
In order to increase your iron intake, you need to start eating more foods that contain this mineral. Some of the best sources of iron are pumpkin and squash seeds, liver, oysters, hazelnuts, almonds, beans, lentils, whole grains, spinach, swiss chard, and dark chocolate.
Some people might need to take supplements to raise their iron levels. However, before doing this, you should speak to a doctor, just so you know what dosage to take.
High levels of iron in the body can be very dangerous, as it is a mineral that doesn’t get excreted easily. Taking an extremely high amount of supplements can even lead to an overdose, so you need your doctor’s advice!
