how many milligrams of iron should be consumed daily
Adolescent and adult males need 10 milligrams of iron a day, while adolescent and adult females need slightly more, 10 to 15 milligrams a day. If you are pregnant, iron is especially important for your baby's fetal growth. Pregnant women need 30 milligrams of iron a day; breast-feeding women need 15 milligrams daily. If you have an iron deficiency, treatment is usually 50 to100 milligrams of elemental iron taken three times daily for at least two months to reverse anemia. After the first two to three months of initial treatment, supplementation often continues for another six months to ensure the body has adequate iron reserves.