Iron is typically obtained through food consumption; however, some people may have to get their iron from supplements. Iron supplements come in the form of liquid, capsules, tablets or included in multivitamins or prenatal pills. The dosing of these forms all differ, so you must read the manufacturer's label for specific dosing recommendations.
What is Iron?
Iron is a metal that is essential for the maintenance of good health. Iron is used in the body in two ways: to carry oxygen throughout the body to tissues and to supply oxygen to muscles and enzymes. Once the body has used enough iron, it stores the rest for later use. This is why it is so important to never take more than the recommended daily allowance unless guided to by your physician.
There are two forms of iron: heme and nonheme. Heme iron is taken from the red blood cells, so this form of iron is often obtained through eating meat sources. Nonheme iron is derived from plant sources such as legumes and spinach. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, heme iron is absorbed better than nonheme iron, although most dietary iron falls under the nonheme category. (See References 1) Nonheme is also the form of iron that is added into enriched cereals and grains.
Recommended Allowance
The recommended dietary allowance of iron differs for men and women. Women may need more iron than men, due to menstruation and pregnancy. The daily recommended intake of iron for adult women is 18 mg and 8 mg for men, However, if the woman is pregnant this amount increases to 27 mg and then decreases to 10 mg if she is lactating. Younger children do not need much iron and the recommended daily allowance is the same for both boys and girls, which is 10 mg. When they become pre-teens this level decreases to 8 mg.
Iron Toxicity
Iron toxicity or iron poisoning usually comes from taking an overdose of iron supplements in pill, liquid or powder form. Merck Manuals states that iron poisoning usually begins at 20 to 60 mg, which is mildly toxic up to 60 mg and greater, which is severely toxic. Iron toxicity occurs in five stages gradually increasing in symptoms and severity. Symptoms of stage one iron poisoning occurs within 6 hours of the overdose. They include vomiting, irritability, explosive diarrhea, abdominal pain and lethargy. Stage two symptoms set in within 6 to 11 hours and will oddly show improvement. Stage three iron poisoning occurs between 12 to 48 hours and include: seizures, fever, coagulopathy and metabolic acidosis. Stage four symptoms include: liver failure, jaundice, coagulopathy and hypoglycemia. This stage normally occurs between two and five days. The last stage of iron toxicity occurs between two to five weeks. The symptoms are gastric outlet or duodenal obstruction and scarring.
To determine if iron toxicity has occurred, you will need a blood test and abdominal X-ray. Treatments vary depending on the stage of toxicity, but normally include a whole bowel irrigation.
Iron Deficiency
Iron deficiency occurs when the body does not absorb iron as it should. This may occur during menstruation, when a woman loses blood, therefore losing iron; when a person has a digestive disorder; after childbirth and during malnutrition. A physician will prescribe iron in these cases or give an iron injection if needed to boost the iron levels in the blood. In severe cases, a person may have to get a blood transfusion.
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