Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Absorption of dietary iron in iron salt form (as in most supplements) varies somewhat according to the body's need for iron, and is usually between 10% and 20% of iron intake. Absorption of iron from animal products, and some plant products, is in the form of heme iron, and is more efficient, allowing absorption of from 15% to 35% of intake.
Iron malabsorption is a less common cause of iron-deficiency anemia, but many gastrointestinal disorders can reduce the body's ability to absorb iron. [39] There are different mechanisms that may be present. In coeliac disease, abnormal changes in the structure of the duodenum can decrease iron absorption. [40]
Iron from different foods is absorbed and processed differently by the body; for instance, iron in meat (heme iron source) is more easily absorbed than iron in grains and vegetables ("non-heme" iron sources). [28] Minerals and chemicals in one type of food may also inhibit absorption of iron from another type of food eaten at the same time. [29]
In fact, over a third of U.S. females ages 12 to 21 are iron-deficient, with heavy periods, pregnancy and the postpartum period being major causes of iron deficiency anemia.
Iron is a mineral that is crucial for optimal health and well-being. Found naturally in many foods and dietary supplements, it is a key component of hemoglobin, the part of red blood cells ...
White beans. There’s a reason beans are a go-to for plant-based eaters. One half-cup of white beans offers nearly 3.5 mg of iron, the USDA says, along with 8.7 grams (g) of protein and 5.6 g of ...
However, this effect is often not seen in practice and reduction of absorbed minerals can be attributed mainly to the phytic acids in fibrous food. [11] [12] Foods high in calcium eaten simultaneously with foods containing iron can decrease the absorption of iron via an unclear mechanism involving iron transport protein hDMT1, which calcium can ...
“The body needs iron to make new red blood cells, and to support energy production, the immune system and cognitive function,” Alannah McKay, a sports nutrition postdoctoral research fellow at ...