Iron-deficiency anemia is the most common type of anemia, which occurs when your body does not have enough of the mineral iron. Your body needs iron to produce a protein called hemoglobin, which is responsible for carrying oxygen to your body’s tissues. Hemoglobin is a part of your red blood cells. As a result, iron deficiency anemia is a condition where a lack of iron in the body leads to a reduction in the number of red blood cells. Body iron is stored in the liver, red blood cell, and bone marrow. The red blood cell is the site of most storage iron.

How much iron do we need?
 The daily amount of iron that is recommended for healthy individuals should be adjusted as follows
• 1 mg/day for adult males
• 1.4 mg/day for premenopausal women

Dietary factors that affect iron absorption:
• Vitamin C increases iron absorption.
• Grains and tea reduce iron absorption.
Ferritin is a protein found inside cells that stores iron. The normal range for blood ferritin is:
• For men, 50-100 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL)
• For women, 25-30 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL)
Serum iron measures the amount of iron in the blood. Normal serum iron: 50-150 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL)