EATRITE - 5m - Some Facts about Iron

Iron is the second most common mineral found in the earth’s crust.
Iron deficiency is, however, the most common nutritional deficiency.
500 million people in both industrial and developing countries suffer from iron deficiency or anaemia.

Women aged 15 – 50years, and babies and toddlers, in particular suffer from anaemia.

What does iron do in your body?

Iron forms part of the red blood cells.
It carries oxygen from the lungs to the tissues.
It helps transport carbon-dioxide from the tissues to the lungs.

After 120 days, worn red blood cells are broken down, and the iron is recovered to be used again in new red blood cells.
Iron cannot be manufactured in the body.
Small amounts are stored in the liver, spleen and red bone marrow.
A daily intake of iron is necessary to prevent the development of an iron deficiency, and the resultant anaemia.
Iron is part of an enzyme which carries messages from one nerve cell to another.
Children suffering from an iron deficiency often have problems such as hyperactivity and reduced learning capacity, a shorter attention span and even a reduced IQ.
These symptoms are the first to appear when the body’s iron levels fall, and are among the first to disappear when iron intake is increased again.
The intake of large amounts of iron will NOT raise the inherited IQ.

Who suffers from iron deficiency?

Mother’s milk is a well balanced food for babies, but it contains little iron.
A baby is born with a small store of iron in its liver.
When a baby is about 6 months old, it’s diet should be supplemented with extra iron from sources such as egg yolk, liver or meat.
If no source of iron is included in the diet, an iron deficiency will develop when the baby is about one year old.

The group that suffers most commonly from iron deficiency is girls and women aged 15 – 50 years.
Everyone loses small amounts of iron in urine, stools, perspiration, nails, hair and flaking skin.
The largest amount of iron loss occurs through blood loss in menstruation, chronically bleeding piles, stomach ulcers and regular blood donations.
Pregnant and breast-feeding women, as well as teenagers, have an increased need for iron.

- Leslie Hand

Homework: 5m

Investigate the food you eat every day – learn to meet your iron requirements