Iron Supplement

Who Needs an Iron Supplement

The most common users of an iron supplement are women. A woman’s iron needs are greater than a man’s, especially during menstruation and in the later years resulting in a need for an iron supplement.

Anyone whose daily intake of iron is below the RDA may need an iron supplement. More often, vegetarians need an iron supplement because of an imbalance in the foods they eat.

Anemic people need an iron supplement, and the cause of the anemia can be a serious deficiency in iron intake. Additionally, a person who gives blood may suffer from a temporary iron shortage and need an iron supplement.

When to Use an Iron Supplement

An iron supplement is used to remedy iron deficiency. The iron deficiency begins slowly when the daily intake of iron is less than the required amount. An iron supplement is designed to help build back the bodily amounts to safe proportions. Symptoms of the need for an iron supplement include:

* A decrease in physical performance or an inability to perform normal activities
* Constant physical and mental tiredness
* Learning problems in adults and children
* Inability to breathe easily or shortness of breath

Iron is a metal that is required to regulate a healthy human body. Iron in required for the body to carry oxygen and is required for cell growth.

Humans normally obtain iron through their diet, primarily through meat. Iron can also be found in vegetables but it is a different type of iron that what is found in meat. In fact, you will often individuals who are strictly on a vegetarian or vegan diet with inadequate levels of iron in their systems.
Lean red meat has the highest levels of iron. Chicken, turkey, and fish also have iron but in a lesser amount than the lean red meat. Other foods that are rich in iron include: pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, soybeans, prune juice, and fortified dry cereals.

Many people unknowing suffer from an iron deficiency. This iron deficiency is referred to as anemia. Anemia is often found in teenagers and young adults. Anemia is one of the leading causes of fatigue for women, especially for women who are of childbearing years due to iron loss while menstruating. Women that are pregnant are often prescribed an iron supplement by their doctor because iron is important for proper fetal development.