Infants and young children, women of childbearing age, and the elderly are especially subject to iron-deficiency. It is a vital part of hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells. Without appropriate levels of iron, the transport of oxygen to the tissues is impaired, as is the activity of iron-containing enzymes in various tissues. The primary use of iron is in the treatment of iron deficiency. Iron deficiency can lead to anemia, excessive menstrual loss, impaired immune function, energy depletion, and learning disabilities.
Anemia is the last stage of iron-deficiency.
For example, increased requirements for iron occur during the growth spurts of infancy and adolescence. Women during pregnancy and lactation also require higher levels of iron. Most pregnant women will take iron supplementation during pregnancy because the dramatic, increased need for iron cannot be met solely through diet. In fact, evidence supports that children who do not get enough iron during critical stages in brain development can have permanent brain damage. The low-income elderly, however, are at the greatest risk for iron deficiency in their diet.