The body only needs iron in small amounts, but the essential trace element influences many functions, so that an iron deficiency becomes noticeable relatively quickly. But which foods actually contain iron? And what should you watch out for when taking iron supplements?Iron is an essential trace element: This means it is vital and must be ingested with food. Young women in particular are at risk of suffering from iron deficiency, as they have a much higher iron requirement than men of the same age due to menstruation and pregnancy.
Iron for the body: function and needs
Iron has many functions in the body. The main task of the trace element in the human body is the oxygen transport in the blood: Iron transports oxygen from the lungs to the tissues and ensures that oxygen is stored in the muscles. It also plays a key role in the immune system in fighting off infections and helps ensure that all body cells are supplied with energy.
Because we lose small amounts of iron every day through urine, sweat and stool, we have to take in the trace element with our food every day. The German Society for Nutrition (DGE) recommends ten milligrams per day for men and 15 milligrams per day for women until menopause. The requirement in women is increased because iron losses are increased by menstruation and pregnancy.
A certain amount of iron is stored in the body, so that a temporarily low-iron diet can be balanced out: depending on body weight, the body contains two to four grams of iron. About 60 percent of this is in the blood (hemoglobin), 25 percent is in the liver, spleen, and bone marrow, and about 15 percent is bound to enzymes and muscle protein. The emptier the body’s stores, the more the body automatically absorbs from food in order to refill the stores. The actual requirement can also be temporarily higher than the recommended amount.
Iron deficiency: symptoms and causes
For most men in Germany, the iron intake is above the recommended intake. Women, on the other hand – especially those under 50 – are significantly less supplied with iron: On average, women under the age of 24 only achieve about half of the recommended iron intake. Overall, 14 percent of men and 58 percent of women do not meet the recommended daily allowance for iron.
But: Falling below the recommended intake does not necessarily mean that there is an iron deficiency. It takes a while for a real deficiency to occur. The body can supply itself for a while from the iron stores.
Reasons for an iron deficiency can be malnutrition and malnutrition and diseases such as Crohn’s disease, chronic inflammation, cancer, kidney dysfunction or celiac disease. Therefore, the cause of an iron deficiency should always be clarified. Classic symptoms of deficiency are:
- fatigue
- exhaustion
- listlessness
- paleness
However, a deficiency also shows symptoms that are less well known:
- skin diseases
- hair loss
- brittle nails
- cracked corners of the mouth
- increased susceptibility to infection
- dry skin
- difficulty concentrating
- unstable psyche
In general, there are different levels of iron deficiency: Initially, the iron reserves are exhausted, but health and bodily functions are not yet impaired. Around ten percent of women and three percent of men in Germany are affected.
The second stage is functional iron deficiency: there is now too little iron in the body to form enough red blood pigment (haemoglobin). Symptoms such as inflammatory changes in the corners of the mouth, an increased susceptibility to infections, disturbed hair and nail growth as well as cracked, dry and brittle skin can now appear.
The most severe form of deficiency is iron deficiency anemia, which only affects one percent of the population in Germany.
The deficiency is usually not discovered in the classic blood test, which is offered preventively by health insurance companies. In order to diagnose a potential iron deficiency, the ferritin value of the blood serum must be determined. If a deficiency is suspected, it should be examined and established by a doctor. If a deficiency is diagnosed by a doctor, iron-containing food supplements can be taken.
Bioavailability of iron in animal and plant foods
When absorbing iron from food, it is not the amount of iron actually contained in the food that is decisive, but the bioavailability of the trace element. Divalent and trivalent iron is generally found in food.
- Bivalent iron has the highest bioavailability. A food that contains a lot of it also supplies the body with a lot of iron. The bioavailability is up to 20 percent.
- Contains the food trivalent iron, this is difficult for the human body to utilize, the bioavailability is significantly lower at five percent. In order for the body to be able to absorb the iron, it must first be converted into ferrous iron.
- The bioavailability of animal foods is significantly higher than that of plant foods. The bioavailability of mixed food is around ten to 15 percent.
Iron in vegetarian and vegan diets
The iron intake in people who eat vegan or vegetarian food is often similarly high or even higher than in people who eat mixed foods. However, due to its lower bioavailability, iron is still considered a potentially critical nutrient. But there are tricks that vegans and vegetarians can use to absorb enough iron: Acids such as vitamin C, lactic acid or fruit acids make it easier for the body to absorb trivalent iron. So it makes sense to combine iron-rich foods with foods rich in vitamin C: For example, a piece of fruit or a glass of orange juice during or immediately after a meal improves iron absorption.
Unfortunately, there are also substances that inhibit absorption: phytates (from legumes, cereals and seeds), tannins (from tea or coffee) and calcium compounds. Therefore, coffee and black tea should not be drunk immediately before, during, or after iron-rich meals. In legumes, grains and seeds, preparation techniques such as soaking, heating, sprouting and fermenting can reduce phytic acid levels. The acidification of foods – such as sourdough bread, kimchi or pickled cucumbers – can also increase iron absorption.
By the way: According to the National Consumption Study II, meat is not the main source of iron – but: bread.
Iron supplements: herbal blood, iron tablets and overdose
Healthy people normally have a self-regulatory mechanism that prevents the body from absorbing too much iron from food. However, this regulation can be disrupted in people affected by alcoholism or a genetic iron storage disease.
Iron products can cause an overdose, even in healthy people. Symptoms of an overdose are:
- stomach pain
- constipation or diarrhea
- nausea
- black chair
The study situation is not yet clear, however, there is evidence that increased iron intake may increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Against this background, the Federal Office for Risk Assessment (BfR) recommends that food supplements should not contain more than six milligrams of iron per day.
What Utopia recommends
It is a fact that people who do not eat animal foods generally have to suffer from iron deficiency not correct. However, if you do without meat as a good source with high bioavailability, you must make sure that you combine your food correctly and, ideally, always serve fruit or juice with it. Functional food that is enriched with the trace element or iron-containing food supplements such as iron tablets or “herbal blood” should only be taken after consulting a doctor.
by the way: Utopia has not only looked at iron, but many other minerals and trace elements for you. Here you can find out more:
- calcium
- fluoride
- iodine
- potassium
- copper
- magnesium
- manganese
- molybdenum
- sodium
- phosphorus
- selenium
- zinc
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