Anemia is a condition in which your body contains too few healthy red blood cells. The mineral iron is an important building block for red blood cells, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, and low iron is the leading anemia cause. Symptoms of iron deficiency anemia include weakness, tiredness, grumpiness, headaches, difficulty concentrating and, in severe cases, pale skin and shortness of breath. Consuming appropriate amounts of iron can help prevent or reduce your symptoms.
Daily Needs
Your specific iron needs vary, depending on your overall health and level of deficiency. Children and adolescents ages 4 to 18 typically require between 8 and 11 mg of iron each day, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Men and non-menstruating women ages 19 and up, typically require 8 mg per day. Because women lose iron during menstruation, most women ages 19 to 50 require 18 mg per day.
Food Sources
In many cases, a nutritious, balanced diet can help you meet your daily iron needs. Animal-derived foods contain heme iron, which is more easily absorbed by your body than non-heme iron, which is found in plant-based foods, according to the ODS. Top heme iron sources include chicken livers, oysters, dark-meat turkey, lean chuck beef and roast beef. A 3.5 oz. serving of chicken liver supplies 70 percent of most adults' recommended daily intake. Top non-heme iron sources include 100 percent fortified cereals, which provide all of most adults' RDI per serving, fortified oatmeal, soybeans, other beans and lentils.
Supplements
Your doctor may prescribe iron-containing dietary supplements to help alleviate iron deficiency anemia. For non-pregnant adults, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends taking 50 to 60 mg of oral elemental iron two times daily for three months. Because iron absorption decreases as your dosage increases, supplements should not be taken all at once. Because people's individual iron needs vary, rely on your doctor's guidance rather than product packaging.
Risks
Iron supplements may cause side effects, diarrhea, dark-colored stools, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal distress. To prevent these effects, take your supplements with food. Consuming too much iron in supplemental form can cause toxic effects, including liver damage and heart problems. For this reason, the ODS particularly warns men and non-menstruating women, among whom iron deficiencies are rare, against taking iron supplements without doctor supervision. The upper tolerable limit for adults is 45 mg of iron per day. If you are at high risk for an iron deficiency, due to a strict vegetarian or otherwise restricted diet, heavy menstruation or other medical conditions, consume vitamin C-rich foods, such as bell peppers, citrus fruits and tomatoes, with plant-based iron sources for improved absorption.
