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Healthy Diet

Iron: functions, foods, deficiency and supplements

23/11/20222 min read

African american father looking at son eating breakfast cereals at dining table at home, copy space. Unaltered, family, togetherness, childhood, lifestyle, food, fresh and healthy concept.

Iron is an essential mineral that is vital to the human system. Find all you need to know about iron including benefits, deficiency and supplements here.

Summary

1What does iron do in the body?

Iron is important for making haemoglobin in red blood cells, which carries oxygen around the body into our muscles and tissues. Iron is also found...

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2What are the symptoms of iron deficiency?

If your body doesn’t get enough iron, you won’t have enough haemoglobin for your tissues and muscles to function normally. This leads to a condition..

Jump to details below

3What are the potential benefits of taking an iron

The major benefit of taking iron supplements is to help prevent iron deficiency anaemia. Also useful if you exercise regularly – we lose iron...

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Jump to section

What is iron and what does it do?
What does iron do in the body?
How much iron do I need?
How much iron do children need?
Which foods are the best sources of iron?
What are the symptoms of iron deficiency?
What happens if I have too much iron?
When should I take iron supplements?
Should children take an iron supplement?
Should women take an iron supplement in pregnancy?
What are the potential benefits of taking an iron supplement?
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Healthy Diet

Find out all about iron, including what it does, how much you need, where to find it and who might need to supplement their diet

What is iron and what does it do?

Iron is an essential mineral that’s needed for making haemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells that helps transport oxygen around the body. It plays a key role in supporting the immune system, too.¹

Iron also helps maintain our energy levels, regulate body temperature and may even improve athletic performance.² If you don’t get enough iron, you can feel tired and may be more susceptible to infections.³

A severe lack of iron could even lead to iron deficiency anaemia, which causes pale skin, feeling out of breath and heart palpitations.⁴

What does iron do in the body?

Iron is important for making haemoglobin in red blood cells, which carries oxygen around the body into our muscles and tissues.

Iron is also found in muscle cells as myoglobin, which accepts and stores oxygen for later use.⁵ You also need iron to support your immune system.

If you’re not getting enough in your diet, you may be more susceptible to illnesses and infection.⁶

How much iron do I need?

Women aged 19-50 need 14.8mg a day, and men 8.7mg a day. Women need more iron than men due to menstruation, pregnancy and breast-feeding. After 50, women need 8.7mg of iron a day.⁷

If you’re not getting enough iron from non-meat sources in a vegan or vegetarian diet, if you experience heavy periods or have a stomach ulcer that may cause internal bleeding, you will need more iron.⁸

How much iron do children need?

0-3 months – 1.7mg a day
4-6 months – 4.3mg a day
7-12 months – 7.8mg a day
1-3 years – 6.9mg a day
4-6 years – 6.1mg a day
7-10 – 8.7mg a day
11-18 years – girls 14.8mg, boys 11.3mg a day⁹

Which foods are the best sources of iron?

The best animal-based sources of iron include:¹⁰

red meat, including pork and lamb
fish and shellfish
liver or liver paté – avoid during pregnancy, due to high levels of vitamin A
eggs

The best plant-based sources of iron include:¹¹

dried fruits, particularly figs and apricots
dark green leafy vegetables
nuts and seeds
chickpeas
beans
fortified breakfast cereals

Iron from animal sources (haem iron) is more easily absorbed by the body, but you can increase absorption of non-haem iron from plant sources by eating them with a source of vitamin C.¹²

So, you could have a glass of orange juice along with a veggie curry but avoid having a cup of tea, as it can stop your body absorbing non-haem iron.¹³Leave at least an hour either side of eating before your cuppa.

What are the symptoms of iron deficiency?

If your body doesn’t get enough iron, you won’t have enough haemoglobin for your tissues and muscles to function normally. This leads to a condition called iron deficiency anaemia.¹⁴Symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia¹⁵ include:

fatigue
feeling weak or tired
pale skin
shortness of breath
heart palpitations
headache
sore tongue
hair loss
mouth ulcers

More than two billion people across the globe have iron deficiency anaemia, making it the world’s most common nutritional deficiency.¹⁶

Women are particularly at risk, due to periods, pregnancy and breastfeeding. Vegetarians, vegans or those who don’t eat a lot of meat may also have low iron levels.

What happens if I have too much iron?

If you consume too much iron (more than 20mg a day) either through food or supplements, you may experience:¹⁷

stomach ache
nausea or vomiting
constipation

In very high doses, iron can be toxic or even fatal for young children.

When should I take iron supplements?

You may need to take iron supplements if you are:

anaemic
have heavy periods
vegan or vegetarian
don’t eat enough iron-rich foods¹⁸

Always talk to your GP before taking iron supplements. The NHS advises taking no more than 17mg a day, unless advised by your doctor.

Should children take an iron supplement?

Breast-fed babies usually get enough iron from their mother’s milk for the first six months, while bottle-fed babies will typically consume a formula fortified with iron.¹⁹Children should get all the iron they need from a healthy balanced diet.

However, if they’re vegetarian, vegan or a fussy eater, they may need to consider a supplement. Always talk to their doctor before giving them any iron supplements, as high doses can be fatal in young children.²⁰

Should women take an iron supplement in pregnancy?

Pregnant women do need more iron, but should be able to get the amount they need from their daily diet. Iron supplements are only recommended if blood tests show the mother is anaemic.²¹

What are the potential benefits of taking an iron supplement?

The major benefit of taking iron supplements is to help prevent iron deficiency anaemia. But they may also be useful if you exercise regularly – we lose iron through our sweat, which could be a problem if your iron levels are already low²²– and can help maintain healthy skin, hair and nails, too.²³