Iron is a trace element and essential for the human organism. That means it has to be fed through the food. Most of the iron present in the human body is found in the red blood pigment, hemoglobin. There it transports oxygen from the lungs to the blood and organs. Furthermore, iron is a component of many enzymes that are used to generate energy. In conjunction with phosphorus, it makes vitamins from the B complex available. It also takes over many vital functions in the metabolism. If there is adequate supply of iron to the body, it is more resistant to stress and disease. Men need an average of about 10 mg of iron daily, in women, the need is somewhat increased. Here the requirement is 15 mg a day. An iron deficiency can occur relatively quickly, especially many young women suffer from iron deficiency without that they know. The reason for this is the monthly menstruation, which is accompanied by a significant loss of iron. But also endurance athletes often have too little iron value in the blood, as the sweat many important minerals and trace elements are excreted, which must be taken up with the food again in retrospect. Iron deficiency may be fatigue, rapid heartbeat, headache, or, in severe cases, anemia (anemia). In anemia, the formation of hemoglobin is impaired. The best sources of iron are meat, liver or heart. But also eggs, oatmeal or legumes are ferrous. Vegetarians or vegans should pay more attention to consuming plant-based foods with a relatively high iron content, because they eliminate the animal sources of iron. In general, iron of animal origin is better for the body than vegetable origin. The iron absorption can be increased by consuming a vitamin C-containing beverage before a meal, because this significantly increases the iron utilization. Coffee, tea or alcohol, however, prevent the absorption of iron.
