How Much Iron Do I Need
Written by Mystic on Wednesday, January 23, 2008The need for Iron! Why all the fuss about iron in your diet, you say. Well, we give you the reason. Do you know that iron is the central component of "heme", a molecule used to build hemoglobin? Next, you would be wondering what hemoglobin is? Well, it's the oxygen-carrying protein found in red blood cells. Now we come to the role of oxygen. It is used by your body to help produce energy. When iron stores are low, the body cannot make enough hemoglobin, so there is less oxygen available for energy production. Iron also fortifies your immune system. It is also involved in the production of collagen and in the formation of amino acids, which are the backbone bone of proteins, the building blocks of your body. Now we'll tell you what happens when the levels of hemoglobin in the blood decrease. The consequence is appearance of symptoms of anemia. These include fatigue, weakness, irritability, headaches, pale complexion and lowered resistance to infection. Some people feel cold all the time. Others complain that their wounds and cut take long to heal. All these symptoms are manifestations of anemia. How much! Now that you know the importance of iron in your body, you must be wondering how much you should consume daily. Well, the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for pre-menopausal women and teenage girls is 15mg of it every day. Adult men and post-menopausal women need less about 10mg daily. The RDA is much higher (30 mg) for pregnant women, to accommodate the rapid rate of growth that occurs during pregnancy.
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