How Much Iron?

HOW MUCH IRON DO I NEED?

Iron is the #1 mineral deficiency in the world!

But everybody needs a different amount of iron. This depends on age, sex, lifestyle, gut health, what they eat, and if they are a female of reproductive age it is also important to understand how frequent and heavy their periods are, or whether they are pregnant.

Let’s go through the facts and numbers to help you get on the right track!

The Common Misconception

In Australia, there are two set of guidelines that are used to explain the level of nutrition our bodies’ need (but we think they can be a little bit confusing):

EAR - The Estimated Average Requirement is the daily intake level projected to fulfil the nutritional needs of 50% of healthy individuals in Australia.
RDI - The Recommended Dietary Intake is the average daily intake level deemed adequate to fulfil the nutrient needs of almost ALL healthy individuals within a specific life stage and gender category in Australia (97% to 98% of the entire population.

Many people think that the “Recommended Dietary Intake” is how much they should consume per day, but actually for the majority of healthy people, this can be significantly more than their bodies need. Many people also don't know that consuming too much iron can be toxic and cause premature ageing. Iron is already found in many foods that are commonlyu eaten daily. This is why have chosen to proven a 4mg dose of iron and believe that it is important to consider the “Estimated Average Requirement” of the population's nutritional needs, that is 4mg to 8mg of iron per day.

Regardless, if you are low in iron or anaemic, we always recommend consulting your Primary Healthcare Professional such as your General Practitioner as they can advise on what's right for your individual needs.

Source: https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/nutrient-reference-values/introduction

	EAR Nutrition needs of 50% of healthy individuals	RDI Nutrition needs of >97% of healthy individuals
Children
1 - 3 years old	4mg / day	9mg / day
4 - 8 years old	4mg / day	10mg / day
Females
9 - 13 years old	6mg / day	8mg / day
14 - 18 years old	8mg / day	15mg / day
19 - 50 years old	8mg / day	18mg / day
>51 years old	5mg / day	8mg / day
Males
9 - 13 years old	6mg / day	8mg / day
14 - 18 years old	8mg / day	11mg / day
>19 years old	6mg / day	8mg / day

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The Iron Content of Food

There are plenty of iron-rich foods that are commonly consumed daily. However, iron deficiency affects over two billion people worldwide, so clearly, eating enough of these foods can be challenging.   

Nevertheless, it is important to understand:

What foods contain iron
How to effectively eat them in order to optimise the absorption iron in your body

Iron comes in two forms: “Heme” and “Non-Heme”. Animal sources of iron are in “Heme” form and this is readily absorbed by our bodies. Plant sources of iron are in “Non Heme” form and whilst these can contain higher levels of iron, they are not as readily absorbed by the body unless consumed under the following specific conditions:

With vitamin C (commonly found in citrus fruits, berries & leafy green vegetables)
Not within an hour of caffeine and tannins (commonly found in coffee, tea & red wine) or high dose mineral supplements (such as calcium and magnesium)

Non-Heme Plant derived sources of iron	Iron Content (mg /100g)	Heme animal sources of iron
Raw Cashews	5mg
Multigrain Bread	4.7mg
	4.4mg	Pacific Oysters
Dark Chocolate	4.4mg
Raw Almonds	3.75mg
Spinach	3.6mg
Rolled Oats	3.5mg
	3.3mg	Beef
	2.6mg	Lamb
Silverbeet	2.6mg
Firm Tofu	2.4mg
Red Kidney Beans	2.1mg
	1.9mg	Chicken Eggs
Chickpeas	1.8mg
Kale	1.6mg
	1.3mg	Bolognese
	1.2mg	Canned Tuna
Beetroot	1.1mg
Cooked Quinoa	1.1mg
Fresh Green Peas	1.1mg
	0.5mg	Chicken
Soy Milk	0.5mg

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THE RESULT

Going through this article, you will probably discover that you already consume a lot of iron through food alone, but it may not be enough AND / OR you’re inhibiting your body’s absorption of non-heme iron with coffee and tea.  

Based on Jade's diet, she typically consumes 4mg to 7mg of iron per day. This is not bad, but it doesn’t quite fulfil her Estimated Average Requirement of 8mg of iron per day.  

This is why she boosts her daily iron intake with one sachet of Dr Glitter’s IRON+ crystals on her breakfast, lunch or dinner. This keeps her iron levels healthy and stable, and prevents her from crashing or needing to opt for emergency interventions such as an iron infusion or high dose tablets that may cause stomach cramps, constipation and nausea.

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