Iron is an essential trace mineral, meaning that we need it to live but only in small amounts.
There are two types of iron: heme mainly found in animal products and non-heme mainly found in plants and less bioavailable.
Iron absorption is improved when it is consumed with some nutrient like vitamin C. On the other side, its absorption is reduced when it is consumed with tannins found in tea or coffee for example.
Iron contributes to many bodily functions, including:
Iron is part of haemoglobin which is a protein used by red blood cells to carry dioxygen from lungs to cells in our body.
Iron is utilized by mitochondria. They are called the cell “powerhouse” because they contribute to energy production (1).
Iron is involved in DNA synthesises and repairs through multiples enzymes (2).
Recommended Daily Allowance for a 44-year-old male moderately active, weighting 70 kg and 175 cm tall is 8 mg and the Tolerable Upper Intake is 45 mg (3).
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Iron deficiency can lead to a range of serious health problems including anaemia which is a lack of red blood cells. Symptoms include:
Excess amounts of iron are toxic and can be lethal. Too much iron is associated with many adverse effects including: