Iron is the Uber for Oxygen as it transports oxygen from your lungs to the organs and tissues throughout the body. All the cells contain some amount of iron, but the majority of iron is present in the Haemoglobin of the Red Blood Cells. Red blood cells are responsible for carrying the oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.
Iron is also required by the body to carry out normal brain functions, for a better immune system and muscle strength.
If you don’t have enough iron, your body can’t make enough healthy oxygen-carrying red blood cells. A lack of red blood cells is called iron deficiency Anemia.
Anemia can cause many surprising symptoms that make it tough to get through the day, such as:
- Extreme fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness
- Brittle nails
- A sore, swollen tongue
- Iron deficiency can also cause poor concentration, memory and behaviour problems.
Iron helps the cells in your body use oxygen to convert carbohydrates (sugars) into energy, hence its deficiency causes a general lack of energy and tiredness.
Who is at risk of low iron levels:
- Women who are mensurating
- Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding
- Long distance runners
- People with bleeding intestine (eg. bleeding ulcer)
- People with heavy bleeding
The best sources of iron include:
- Legumes - Kidney beans, Soybean
- Dried fruits - Raisins, Apricots, Almonds
- Whole grains - Wheat, Oats, Millets, Brown Rice
- Vegetables - Broccoli, Spinach
- Iron-fortified cereals
- Eggs (especially egg yolks)
- Liver
- Lean red meat (especially beef)
- Oysters
- Poultry, dark red meat
- Salmon
- Tuna
Iron is an essential trace element that is used to form molecules in the body such as haemoglobin. As our bodies do not produce iron we need to make sure we include sufficient iron as part of our healthy diets. Some peoples’ lifestyles can mean that they struggle to get the iron they need from their diet alone. So, you might want to consider taking supplements. However, consult your doctor before opting for any kind of supplement as excess iron can also be harmful.
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