Iron for Women

When it comes iron, men and women have different requirements. Men need around 8mg of iron per day while for pre-menopausal women this increases to 18mg per day, and pregnant women may need up to 27mg per day.^1,4 But why is that? Well there are two main reasons and both relate to the female reproductive system, as this article will explain.

1. Women lose iron during menstruation

Iron is a crucial component of the haemoglobin in our blood, and without it our bodies abilities to circulate oxygen would be severely diminished. As up to 96% of our blood is comprised of haemoglobin,² this naturally means that women may lose a lot of that iron during menstruation. This also explains why post-menopausal women need only the same amount of iron as men to stay healthy.

2. Developing Babies need a lot of iron

Just as iron is a crucial component of the blood in the adult human body, it’s also a crucial component of the blood of a developing foetus. In fact, growing babies are still absorbing iron from their mothers breast milk for up to 6 months after their births.³ Many pregnant women are actually iron deficient and as a result may need to supplement their intake to stay healthy. Such women should also consider supplementing with Vitamin C as it can help boost the human body’s ability to absorb iron.