What is Iron?
Iron is an essential mineral for growth and development. It is vital for the body’s oxygen transportation process and is also involved in some hormone synthesis.
Iron is found naturally in meat, seafood, and poultry, white beans, lentils, spinach, kidney beans, peas, and nuts in different amounts.
In the U.S, the Daily Value for iron is 18mg for adults and 27mg for pregnant and breastfeeding women. The upper level is defined as 45mg for adults. (FDA,2020) (NIH, 2020)
The body uses iron from the muscles, liver, spleen, and bone marrow if daily intake is not enough. The habit of insufficient intakes may cause iron deficiency anemia. Deficiency may cause weakness, tiredness, lack of energy, and problems with concentration and memory and may affect immune system functions. Infants and children with iron deficiency anemia might develop learning difficulties. (NIH, 2020)
In the U.S., iron deficiency is common and usually observed among young children, women under 50, pregnant women, and people who have a poor diet. (NIH, 2020)
What are the daily values for Iron?
In the U.S, the Daily Value for iron 18mg for adults and 27mg for pregnant and lactating women. The upper level is defined as 45mg for adults. (FDA,2020) (NIH, 2020)
What happens in Deficiency?
The body uses iron from the muscles, liver, spleen, and bone marrow if daily intake is not enough. The habit of insufficient intakes may cause iron deficiency anemia. (NIH, 2020)
Deficiency may cause weakness, tiredness, lack of energy, and problems with concentration and memory and may affect immune system functions. Infants and children with iron deficiency anemia might develop learning difficulties. (NIH, 2020)
In the U.S., iron deficiency is common and usually observed among young children, women under 50, pregnant women, and people who have a poor diet. (NIH, 2020)
What happens in Overdose?
Excess iron intake has side effects. In healthy people, taking high doses of iron supplements, especially on an empty stomach, can cause an upset stomach, constipation, nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting, and fainting. (NIH, 2020)
High doses of iron can also decrease zinc absorption. There are case reports of accidental poisoning in children. Extreme doses of iron in the hundreds or thousands of mg can cause organ failure, coma, convulsions, and could be fatal. At the dose level of 20mg/kg body weight, no systemic toxicity was observed, but an oral dose of 60mg/kg bw could be lethal. (NIH, 2020) (SCF, 2006)
References
* National institudes of Health (NIH), 2020, Iron, Accessed from: https: //ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/iron/, Accessed at: 12.01.21
* U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), 2020, Nutrition labeling of food, Accessed from: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm?fr=101.9, Accessed at: 11.02.21
* Scientific Committee on Food (SCF), 2006, Tolerable Upper Intake Levels for Vitamins and Minerals
