Someone should iron you

Anemia is caused due to deficiency of iron, which makes you feel tired with shortness of breath. Know the causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of anemia. Diet and Nutrition for Healthy Weight Loss. Correct diet and a planned exercise regime is the mantra of healthy and sustainable weight loss.

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And half of all Americans get some iron from a daily multivitamin. But beware. The body does not excrete iron rapidly.

That means it can build up over time and, in some people, becomes toxic. The genetic disorder hemochromatosis causes iron to build up in organs, causing heart failure and diabetes. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. Yes, you can donate blood if your iron is high.

Iron is very important because it helps your body to make haemoglobin and you give away a lot of iron when you donate blood. Thanks for visiting. Don't miss your FREE gift. Sign up to get tips for living a healthy lifestyle, with ways to fight inflammation and improve cognitive health , plus the latest advances in preventative medicine, diet and exercise , pain relief, blood pressure and cholesterol management, and more.

Get helpful tips and guidance for everything from fighting inflammation to finding the best diets for weight loss Stay on top of latest health news from Harvard Medical School. Recent Blog Articles. The amount of iron you need each day depends on your age, your sex, and whether you consume a mostly plant-based diet. Average daily recommended amounts are listed below in milligrams mg. Iron is found naturally in many foods and is added to some fortified food products.

You can get recommended amounts of iron by eating a variety of foods, including the following:. Iron in food comes in two forms: heme iron and nonheme iron.

Nonheme iron is found in plant foods and iron-fortified food products. Meat, seafood, and poultry have both heme and nonheme iron. Your body absorbs iron from plant sources better when you eat it with meat, poultry, seafood, and foods that contain vitamin C , such as citrus fruits, strawberries, sweet peppers, tomatoes, and broccoli.

Iron is available in many multivitamin-mineral supplements and in supplements that contain only iron. Iron in supplements is often in the form of ferrous sulfate, ferrous gluconate, ferric citrate, or ferric sulfate.

Dietary supplements that contain iron have a statement on the label warning that they should be kept out of the reach of children. Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6. Most people in the United States get enough iron. However, certain groups of people are more likely than others to have trouble getting enough iron:. In the short term, getting too little iron does not cause obvious symptoms.

The body uses its stored iron in the muscles, liver, spleen, and bone marrow. But when levels of iron stored in the body become low, iron deficiency anemia sets in. Red blood cells become smaller and contain less hemoglobin. As a result, blood carries less oxygen from the lungs throughout the body. Symptoms of iron deficiency anemia include GI upset, weakness, tiredness, lack of energy, and problems with concentration and memory.

Your body absorbs more iron from meat than it does from other sources. If you choose to not eat meat, you may need to increase your intake of iron-rich, plant-based foods to absorb the same amount of iron as does someone who eats meat.

You can enhance your body's absorption of iron by drinking citrus juice or eating other foods rich in vitamin C at the same time that you eat high-iron foods. Vitamin C in citrus juices, like orange juice, helps your body to better absorb dietary iron. To prevent iron deficiency anemia in infants, feed your baby breast milk or iron-fortified formula for the first year. Cow's milk isn't a good source of iron for babies and isn't recommended for infants under 1 year. After age 6 months, start feeding your baby iron-fortified cereals or pureed meats at least twice a day to boost iron intake.

After one year, be sure children don't drink more than 20 ounces milliliters of milk a day. Too much milk often takes the place of other foods, including those that are rich in iron. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission.

This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Iron deficiency anemia is a common type of anemia — a condition in which blood lacks adequate healthy red blood cells.