II. Background
- See Iron Supplementation for pediatric requirements
- Typical iron adult intake: 15-18 g/day
- Typical iron absorption: 1.5 to 1.8 mg/day
- Only 5-10% of Dietary Iron is typically absorbed
- Absorption may increase to 15-50% in Iron Deficiency
III. Indications
- Iron Deficiency Anemia
- Increased requirements in menstruating women
IV. Complications
- Excessive iron intake may result in Hemochromatosis
V. Preparations: Sources
-
Heme-Iron (Better absorption by 2-3 fold)
- Liver
- Red meats
- Cooked beef (3 oz): 2.5 mg elemental iron
- Poultry
- Turkey or chicken (3 oz dark meat): 1.1 to 2.0 mg elemental iron
- Fish
- Non-Heme Iron
- Soybeans (0.5 cups cooked): 4.4 mg elemental iron
- Lentils (0.5 cups cooked): 3.3 mg elemental iron
- Spinach (0.5 cups cooked): 3.2 mg elemental iron
- Beans (0.5 cups cooked Kidney, lima, navy pinto): 1.8 to 2.2 elemental iron
- Apricots
- Peaches
- Prunes
- Apples
- Grapes
- Raisins
- Eggs
- Iron fortified foods
- Fortified breakfast cereals: 18 mg elemental iron per serving
- Baby Foods
- Brown rice cereal or oatmeal cereal (1 tbsp dry): 1.6 to 1.8 mg elemental iron
- Green Beans (6 oz): 1.8 mg elemental iron
- Lamb or Chicken: 1.2 mg in 2.5 oz baby food
- Peas (3.4 oz): 0.9 mg elemental iron
VI. Food Interactions
- See Iron Supplementation
- Enhancers of iron absorption
- Heme iron (see above)
- Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)
- Inhibitors of iron absorption
- Polyphenol (in vegetables)
- Tannins (in tea)
- Phytate (in bran, cereal)
- Calcium (dairy products)
- Antacids (eg. Proton Pump Inhibitors, Maalox, Zantac)
VII. Resources
VIII. References
Images: Related links to external sites (from Bing)
Related Studies
| Definition (NCI_CRCH) | Forms of the element iron found in foods. |
| Definition (MSH) | Iron or iron compounds used in foods or as food. Dietary iron is important in oxygen transport and the synthesis of the iron-porphyrin proteins hemoglobin, myoglobin, cytochromes, and cytochrome oxidase. Insufficient amounts of dietary iron can lead to iron-deficiency anemia. |
| Definition (CSP) | iron or iron compounds in foods; dietary iron is important in oxygen transport and the synthesis of the iron-porphyrin proteins hemoglobin, myoglobin, cytochromes, and cytochrome oxidase; insufficient amounts of dietary iron can lead to iron-deficiency anemia. |
| Concepts | Inorganic Chemical (T197) |
| MSH | D019266 |
| English | Iron, Dietary, Dietary Iron, Iron, Dietary [Chemical/Ingredient], dietary iron, iron dietary, Fe, Iron |
| Swedish | Järn i kosten |
| Czech | železo dietní |
| Finnish | Ravinnon rauta |
| Russian | ZHELEZO V PITANII, ЖЕЛЕЗО В ПИТАНИИ |
| Croatian | ŽELJEZO, PREHRAMBENO |
| Polish | Żelazo w pokarmach |
| Japanese | 食品中の鉄, 食餌性鉄, 食用鉄分, 鉄-食品, 食品中の鉄成分 |
| French | Fer alimentaire |
| German | Eisen, Nahrungs-, Nahrungs-Eisen |
| Italian | Ferro alimentare |
| Portuguese | Ferro na Dieta |
| Spanish | Hierro en la Dieta, Hierro Dietético |
