Iron helps our bodies to function effectively, however we don’t naturally produce it. We get the iron we need from our diets or supplementation.

A healthy adult body contains about 3-4g of iron and uses/loses approximately 1- 2mg per day, so it constantly needs topping up. Iron is lost from the body by shedding of cells from skin and mucosal surfaces, sweat, urine, and hair loss.

In most healthy individuals, iron losses are thought to be approximately 1 mg/day in males and slightly more in women because of the additional losses due to menstruation, pregnancy and lactation.

The daily recommended intake of iron varies by age, gender, diet type, and health status. The type of iron (heme and non-heme) we intake is also an important factor where heme iron has a higher absorption rate.

Recommended Dietary Allowance for iron

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for adults is as follows:

Adults Iron
Men (age 19+) 8 mg
Women (age 19-50) 18 mg
Pregnant women 27 mg
Women (age 51+) 8 mg