Iron

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What Iron is good for: Making hemoglobin in blood and myoglobin in muscle, which supply oxygen to cells.

Where you get Iron: Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, whole and enriched grains, and green leafy vegetables.

Iron Supplements
Iron supplementation is indicated when diet alone cannot restore deficient iron levels to normal within an acceptable timeframe. Supplements are especially important when an individual is experiencing clinical symptoms of iron deficiency anemia. The goals of providing oral iron supplements are to supply sufficient iron to restore normal storage levels of iron and to replenish hemoglobin deficits.

There are several forms of iron supplements so as to choose one that suits your individual needs:

True or False: Women and men need equal amounts of iron.

Answer: False first, true later. (Say what?)
Because iron accumulates in the blood, men need less than premenopausal women. Men should consume 8 milligrams daily; premenopausal women need 18. (One in five women and half of all pregnant women are iron deficient.) After menopause, women need only 8 milligrams, equaling the male need.

Iron Deficiency
Iron deficiency is uncommon among adult men and postmenopausal women. These individuals should only take iron supplements when prescribed by a physician because of their greater risk of iron overload. Iron overload is a condition in which excess iron is found in the blood and stored in organs such as the liver and heart. Iron overload is associated with several genetic diseases.

Watch out: Iron supplements even in small amounts can be toxic to young children. Keep iron and multivitamins with iron out of reach.

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