Brochures Factsheets Dept. of Health Ed. Banter Student Leaders Guide Student Staff App. This usually occurs from not eating food which contains enough iron or not being able to absorb enough iron from food. To prevent iron deficiency, it helps to know a little about the nutrient, iron, and where it can be obtained. The most important function of iron in the body is to carry oxygen in the red blood cells and muscles.
Iron gives blood it characteristic red color.
Certain enzymes require iron, and iron is essential to produce energy. Insufficient iron leads to anemia, a condition in its extreme, characterized by fatigue, paleness, lack of endurance, cold hands, and increased susceptibility to infection. About one in twenty American women, for example, have some degree of iron deficiency anemia. The typical American diet provides 5 to 6 mg of iron for every 1000 calories consumed. Since many women eat fewer than 2000 calories a day, it can be difficult for them to meet their iron needs.