Nutrient Key Information | |||
Nutrient Name: | Iron, Fe | ||
Nutrient Category: | Minerals | ||
Measuring Unit: | mg | ||
Nutrient Summary: | Iron is a critical component of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen from the lungs to tissues throughout the body. A person should get adequate iron intake to increase the red blood cell formation capability. | ||
Nutrient Function: |
Iron is a critical component of several proteins: hemoglobin, myoglobin, and cytochromes. Its key role is to transport oxygen in blood and muscle. • Make hemoglobin in red blood cell which transports oxygen from the lungs to tissues throughout the body for metabolism. • Make myoglobin, a protein to provide oxygen to muscles. • Required for red blood cell production in the bone marrow. It also plays other roles in the body: • Essential for activating certain enzymes and for making amino acids, collagen, neurotransmitters, and hormones • Needed for the metabolism of energy nutrients to produce energy • Help growth and development • Play the role in immune function for immune cells proliferation and maturation • Help with wound healing Notes: • ~2/3 body iron is in hemoglobin which is involved in the transport of oxygen from lungs to tissues throughout the body for metabolism. • ~25% body iron is in mobilizable iron store stored as ferritin in liver, spleen, and bone marrow. • ~15% body iron is in the myoglobin of muscle tissue. |
Sample Foods High in: Iron, Fe |
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Food Description | Nutrient Amount1 | Daily Value%2 | |
Pork, fresh, variety meats and by-products, liver, cooked, braised
Category: Pork Products
|
17.92 mg | 99.56% | |
Chocolate, dark, 70-85% cacao solids
Category: Sweets
|
11.9 mg | 66.11% | |
Mollusks, oyster, eastern, wild, cooked, moist heat
Category: Finfish and Shellfish Products
|
9.21 mg | 51.17% | |
Seeds, pumpkin and squash seed kernels, roasted, without salt
Category: Nut and Seed Products
|
8.07 mg | 44.83% | |
Beef, plate steak, boneless, outside skirt, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 0" fat, all grades, cooked, grilled
Category: Beef Products
|
5.09 mg | 28.28% | |
Spinach, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt
Category: Vegetables and Vegetable Products
|
3.57 mg | 19.83% | |
Beans, kidney, all types, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt
Category: Legumes and Legume Products
|
2.22 mg | 12.33% |
Additional Nutrient Information | |
Nutrient Summary | Iron is a critical component of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen from the lungs to tissues throughout the body. A person should get adequate iron intake to increase the red blood cell formation capability. |
Deficiency Health Effects |
Worldwide, iron deficiency is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies. Primarily impacts children and women of childbearing age. Here are some iron deficiency effect and symptoms: • Iron deficiency anemia, with low hemoglobin concentration caused by the severe depletion of iron stores • Reduced physical work capacity • Impaired cognitive function • Reduced capacity of immune response • Delayed psychomotor development in infants Iron deficiency detection stages: • Stage 1: measure serum protein ferritin in the blood which reflects iron stores status. The less the worse. • Stage 2: measure serum protein transferrin in the blood which transports iron. The more transferrin and the less serum ferritin the worse. • Stage 3: the lack of iron starts to limit the red blood cell hemoglobin production. This is detected by measuring hemoglobin and hematocrit amount. The less the worse. |
Effects if Above Upper Limit |
Excessive iron could be caused by: • Massive doses of iron supplements • Hemochromatosis disorder which causes bodies to absorb too much iron (more than what our bodies need) from the foods • Excessive alcohol which could damage the small intestine and increase the risk of hemochromatosis • Repeated blood transfusions which bypass the intestinal defense on iron absorption The excessive irons are accumulated in the liver, heart, joints, and other tissues. Iron overload could cause the following symptoms and health problems: • Excessive free irons act as free radical, they can attack cell lipids, DNA, and protein. Body tries to create storage protein called hemosiderin to avoid free irons. Hemosiderin is the iron protein in addition to the regular iron storage protein ferritin. • Gastrointestinal distress, such as constipation and nausea • Acute toxicity with vomiting and diarrhea • High doses of iron may decrease zinc absorption • Untreated iron overload can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer, heart failure, and arthritis. |
External References |
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Additional Information | Iron is a trace mineral (also called micromineral) which means human body requires in relatively small amounts (less than 100 milligrams per day). |
Daily Value Age Group | Recommended Daily Values | Daily Value Upper Limits |
Toddler 1 to 3 years old: | 7 mg | 40 mg |
Child 4 to 8 years old: | 10 mg | 40 mg |
Male 9 to 13 years old: | 8 mg | 40 mg |
Male 14 to 18 years old: | 11 mg | 45 mg |
Male 19 to 30 years old: | 8 mg | 45 mg |
Male 31 to 50 years old: | 8 mg | 45 mg |
Male 51 to 70 years old: | 8 mg | 45 mg |
Male Senior 71 or older: | 8 mg | 45 mg |
Female 9 to 13 years old: | 8 mg | 40 mg |
Female 14 to 18 years old: | 15 mg | 45 mg |
Female 19 to 30 years old: | 18 mg | 45 mg |
Female 31 to 50 years old: | 18 mg | 45 mg |
Female 51 to 70 years old: | 8 mg | 45 mg |
Female Senior 71 or older: | 8 mg | 45 mg |
Female Pregnancy (>18): | 27 mg | 45 mg |
Female Lactation (>18): | 9 mg | 45 mg |
FDA (Based on 2000 calorie daily diet): | 18 mg |
The nutrient Dietary Reference Intakes and nutrition facts is from Institute of Medicine of National Academies 2006. Dietary Reference Intakes: The Essential Guide to Nutrient Requirements. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/11537 | |
Nutrition facts knowledge are based on U.S. FOOD & DRUG Administration Nutrition Education Resources & Materials. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/interactivenutritionfactslabel/ | |
Nutrition facts knowledge are based on National Institutes of Health Dietary Supplement Fact Sheets. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/list-all | |
Disclaimer | The nutrient information provided here should not take the place of medical advice. We encourage you to talk to your healthcare providers (such as your doctor) about your dietary requirements which are best for your overall health. We also recommend you to read organization or professional reference documents or articles mentioned, but not limited to, in this page. Any mentions and reference links in this page don't represent our endorsement of their services and advice. |