The body must have iron to make red blood cells with the ability to transport oxygen. Iron is an important part of hemoglobin, the molecule that binds to oxygen in the blood. Without iron formed red blood cells without the ability to carry oxygen.
All cells also use iron in the energy conversion process in which the body converts food into energy.
Iron is stored in the body, especially the liver, spleen and bone marrow, bound to its own proteins, including ferritin. When you want to find out how much iron, you have in your body, measure ferritin levels in the blood.
A number of factors affect the body's absorption of iron. Vitamin C and the "meat factor," a digestive protein derived from meat, poultry and fish, promotes the absorption of iron, while tea, coffee, milk and eggs can inhibit the absorption of iron. This applies notably for non-hemjern (see below).
Natural sources
Iron exists in two forms in the diet. Food from the animal kingdom, for example. Meat, poultry, and fish blodmat contain much hemjern. This is usually referred to natural iron. The second form of iron, ionic iron or non-hemjern, one finds particularly in food from plant sources, such as grains, fruits and vegetables. Hemjern be more easily absorbed than non-hemjern
Daily Needs
For women, the daily requirements for iron 12-18 mg, while for men is 10-12 mg.
Pregnant women often need extra iron supplements. How much iron you need to take and when you need iron supplements should be determined by a measurement of body iron stores performed early in pregnancy.
Menopausal women and persons over 60 years
Osteoporosis is common among elderly women. To prevent this, women in menopause and older women taking calcium supplements, unless they have a particular calcium-rich diet. Older staying often little outdoors. This allows the body to does not produce enough vitamin D. The body's ability to absorb vitamin D also declines with age. If one does not take cod-liver oil or eat little oily fish, should take a vitamin D supplement. There are calcium supplements that are added vitamin D.
Deficiency Symptoms
Iron deficiency is one of the most common deficiency diseases in the world and occur in both rich and poor countries.
People with low calorie intake as young children, the elderly and people who lose weight are prone to iron deficiency. Youth in growth, blood donors and women who have been menstrual increased iron needs and constitute another risk group.
When the body has too little iron, it forms red blood cells without the ability to transport oxygen, and you get anemia. Anemia makes you such as pale and limp. Please note that you may not have iron deficiency, even if you feel indisposed to some time.
Side effects and overdose
A problem by taking iron supplements are the side effects. The most common is constipation, diarrhea ©, nausea, stomach pain and heartburn. The side effects will vary from product to product. Do you suffer from side effects of iron supplements; it may help just to change prescribing? Supplements containing hemjern fewer side effects than drugs with non-hemjern, both because they contain less iron, but also because they ineholder so-called "natural" iron.
Some people have an inherited disease that results in increased uptake and storage of iron, the primary hemachromatoses. This can cause damage to body organs such as liver. Prolonged use of higher dosed iron preparations can also cause hemochromatosis.
For children, even a few iron tablets be toxic and potentially fatal. Keep iron tablets so your out of reach of children.