Iron
A mineral essential for making haemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen in red blood cells.
Recommended intake
8mg/day for adult men and post-menopausal women; 18mg/day for menstruating women.
Upper limit
45mg/day for adults without medical supervision.
Deficiency signs
- • Fatigue
- • Pale skin
- • Shortness of breath
- • Cold hands and feet
Food sources
- • Red meat
- • Lentils and beans
- • Spinach
- • Fortified cereals
Evidence note
Strong evidence for correcting deficiency; supplementation without confirmed deficiency is not routinely recommended.