Are you at risk of being iron deficient?
Throughout the last few years, you may have heard that adequate iron levels are necessary for health, or that women are more likely than men to have inadequate iron intakes, but how true is this?
If you’re pregnant or menstruating, chances are you are more likely to be at risk due to lower levels of iron in the blood during menstruation and pregnancy. During pregnancy, the amount of iron needed for adequate functioning doubles, as iron is needed to make more blood to supply oxygen to the baby.
However even if you’re not menstruating or pregnant, iron is a necessary part of everyday function and therefore there are benefits of iron supplements for everyone. It’s an important nutrient in the blood and promotes healing, energy production and function of the immune system. It is also necessary to transport oxygen around the body. And this is the case for everyone, regardless of gender.
With 1 in 8 Australians being iron deficient, diet also plays an important role. Often people with specific dietary requirements such as vegetarians and vegans who do not consume heme (animal-derived) iron, have a lower intake of diet-absorbed iron, which is commonly found in red meat. However, even if your diet is heavily plant-based, iron absorption is still difficult for many from diet alone which is why supplements are a great addition to a well planned diet.
Our iron gummies are a great addition to supplementing diet-absorbed iron in our daily functions. Don’t forget to pair it with some vitamin C for the extra absorption boost!
References: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/iron#high-risk-groups-for-iron-deficiency