Iron

Iron (Fe) is an essential mineral found in every living cell of the human body. It is an essential nutrient for all individuals of all ages and necessary for life.

The human body requires iron:

• To build red blood cells
• To help the cells function properly
• To transport oxygen from the lungs to every cell in the body
• To help the brain function properly

If you are not getting enough iron you may:

• Feel tired
• Have trouble concentrating on your work or studies
• Feel out of breath
• Lack energy to do things
• Feel irritable
• Look pale

Are you and yours getting enough?

Did you know a nine-month-old infant needs more iron than an adult male? Infants between 7 to 12 months of age are growing so quickly that they have high iron requirements.

Before six months of age, a full-term baby will use the iron stores they were born with, in addition to the iron from breast milk or iron-fortified formula After the age of 6 months, the baby will need iron from food as well. The main sources of iron for babies are iron-fortified infant cereal, iron-fortified formula and puréed / minced meat, fish and poultry.

Appropriate iron intake is so important for everyone in the family. Research findings have shown that young children with below normal iron levels do not learn as well.

What about the teenage girls? They need almost 30% more iron than the boys do. All teens need iron especially during growth spurt, but girls need more because they lose iron during their menstrual periods. In fact, the girls with a heavy menstrual flow need even more.

Recent studies indicate that women often do not consume enough iron-rich foods. If you are female, you may need more iron daily if you:

• Avoid meat products
• Often skip meals
• Try to lose weight by eating less
• Drink tea or coffee with your meals
• Often have heavy menstrual periods
• Use an intra-uterine device (i.e. this makes you bleed more)
• Have recently given a blood donation
• If you are pregnant, then you definitely need to increase your daily iron intake.

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