FITNESS SUPPLEMENTARY
What is iron?
Iron is a mineral that the body needs for growth and development. Your body uses iron to make hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body, and myoglobin, a protein that provides oxygen to muscles.
Health benefits of iron:
Iron is hugely important to our bodies. Iron is a major component of Hemoglobin which is a kind of protein that is found in our blood. Hemoglobin carries oxygen from our lungs around our bodies. If your body does not have enough iron there will not be enough red blood cells to efficiently transport oxygen around your body which can lead to fatigue.
Research shows that cognitive levels drop with iron deficiency. In fact, when iron levels in the blood drop, concentration and attentiveness are affected almost immediately.
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Why is iron important for women?
Younger, pre-menopausal women, particularly those who exercise regularly, are at a higher risk for developing iron deficiency and eventually becoming anemic. This is because most women will only have around 300mg of iron which is stored in their body for future usage, men on the other hand have around 1000mg of stored iron. Menstruating women in particular will deplete these low stores quickly because of blood loss from their monthly cycle.
Recommended dosages:
The recommended daily intake of iron is: 11 milligrams for men ages 14 to 18
15 milligrams for women ages 14 to 18
8 milligrams for men ages 19 to 50
18 milligrams for women ages 19 to 50
27 milligrams for pregnant women
9 to 10 milligrams for breastfeeding women
8 milligrams for adults over 51 years of age