Vitamins
Lacking energy, always getting sick? Are you getting enough vitamins and minerals? Vitamins such as Vitamin C, Vitamin B and minerals such as calcium and iron are crucial for a healthy life. The vitamins and minerals information pages provide you with crucial information about vitamins and minerals, such as which foods contain them, what they do, deficiency symptoms and more.
What is it:
Iron is an essential trace mineral for humans. Two-thirds of the iron present in the body—about 3.5 g to 4.5 g—are in the blood and the rest is stored in the liver, spleen, bone marrow and muscles. Iron is an essential component of hemoglobin, myoglobin and a cofactor of several essential enzymes. Of the total iron in the body, 60 to 70 percent is stored in hemoglobin (the red part of red blood cells—a component of myoglobin, an iron-protein complex in muscles. When the muscles work harder this complex helps in delivering extra energy.
What does it do:
Transports oxygen and contributes to the storage of oxygen in the cells Prevents and treats iron-deficiency anemia due to dietary iron deficiency or other causes Stimulates bone-marrow production of hemoglobin, the red-blood-cell pigment that carries oxygen to body cells Forms part of several enzymes and proteins in the body Essential for protein metabolism Assist in the production of thyroid hormones, connective tissue and several brain neurotransmitters Maintains a healthy immune system May help alleviate menstrual pain May stimulate immunity in iron-deficient people May promote learning in children with iron deficiency
Symptoms of deficiency:
Listlessness Heart palpitations upon exertion Fatigue Irritability Pale appearance to skin, mucous membranes, nails Decreased mental capacity Anaemia
Overdose/Cautions:
N/A
Natural food sources:
Bread, enriched Mussels Egg yolk Oysters Fish Red meats Garbanzo beans (chickpeas) Seaweed, Greens Whole-grain Lentils Liver Molasses, blackstrap Dried fruits Poultry Enriched cereals Soybean flour Flour **People with normal iron levels in their body absorb approximately 10 percent of the food iron consumed from food; however, an iron-deficient person can absorb about 20 to 30 percent.