Iron is a trace mineral, a nutrient your body needs in little quantity. The substance is essential for the formation of red blood cells, responsible for supplying all areas of your body with oxygen. Too much iron in the bloodstream causes a condition known as hemochromatosis, which does not lead to low protein. Too little iron, however, affects the production of the proteins hemoglobin and myoglobin. Supplement iron under your doctor’s care to prevent either situation.
Iron and Protein
Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that makes it possible for them to carry oxygen to tissues. Myoglobin is another protein essential for the delivery of the gas to your muscles. Your body depends on an adequate supply of iron to be able to make both substances.
Recommended Iron Intake
To help you maintain normal levels of iron, preventing a protein deficiency, the institute of medicine of the National Academy of Sciences recommends iron intake for various age groups. A newborn needs 0.27 milligrams of the mineral daily available in breast milk or formula. A 7-month-old baby thrives on 11 milligrams of the nutrient. Children between the ages of 1 year and 3 years require 7 milligrams of iron. The recommended intake rises to 10 milligrams daily when they turn 4 years old. Eight milligrams is the ideal supply for a 9-year-old. A 14-year-old girl needs 15 milligrams and a boy the same age does well on 11 milligrams of iron. From the age of 19 years, men require 8 milligrams of the mineral and women thrive on 18 milligrams. Women can drop their iron intake to 8 milligrams daily when they turn 51 years old.
Iron Sources
Many foods provide iron and you may never need supplementation. Meats are the richest natural sources, with 3.5 ounces of cooked chicken liver offering 70 percent of the daily intake recommended for a woman. Legumes such as beans and soy, as well as spinach and other greens, also contain the nutrient. In addition, manufacturers enrich some of their products. Sometimes one serving of a breakfast cereal has 100 percent of the recommended intake for iron.
Iron Deficiency Symptoms
You cannot know you are low on hemoglobin and myoglobin without submitting to a blood test. But an iron deficiency can also present physical symptoms you are able to feel. Low levels of the mineral in the bloodstream comprises a condition known as anemia. When you become symptomatic, you experience fatigue, breathing difficulties, dizziness and headaches. Your heart might also beat too fast. Your nails turn brittle and your hair falls out. A craving for nonfood items such as clay or ashes is also possible.
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