How Much Iron Do You Need a Day? Chart by Age and Sex

How much iron do you need a day? Most adult men and women over 50 need 8 mg of iron a day, while women aged 19 to 50 need 18 mg and pregnant women need 27 mg. Vegetarians need about 1.8 times these amounts, and adults should stay under 45 mg a day from all sources unless a doctor advises otherwise.

Key takeaways

• Adult men and adults 51+ need 8 mg of iron a day; women 19 to 50 need 18 mg.
• Pregnancy raises the need to 27 mg a day; breastfeeding lowers it to 9 mg.
• The upper limit for adults is 45 mg a day from food and supplements combined.
• Iron from meat, fish and poultry (heme iron) is absorbed better than iron from plants (nonheme iron).
• Get a blood test before taking iron supplements, and keep iron products away from children.

What is the daily iron requirement by age and sex?

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is the daily amount that meets the needs of nearly all healthy people. The figures below come from the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements iron fact sheet and match the Dietary Reference Intakes used in both the United States and Canada.

The biggest jump is for women of childbearing age. Monthly blood loss means they need more than twice as much iron as men. As UCLA Health explains, the recommendation for women drops back to 8 mg a day after menopause, when that blood loss stops.

Why does your body need iron?

Iron is a mineral your body uses to make hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. It is also part of myoglobin, which supplies oxygen to muscles, and it helps with normal growth, brain development and the making of some hormones.

Your body cannot make iron, so it has to come from food or supplements. It stores extra iron as ferritin, mainly in the liver, which is why a ferritin blood test is a useful way to see whether your stores are running low. For a wider look at the minerals people most often fall short on, read common signs of mineral deficiency and who is at risk.

Who needs more iron than average?

According to the NIH, these groups are most likely to fall short:

• Women with heavy periods, including teen girls.
• Pregnant women, whose blood volume expands to support the baby.
• Infants and young children, especially those born early or at a low birth weight.
• Frequent blood donors.
• People with certain conditions, such as cancer, heart failure, or digestive disorders like celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease that affect absorption.
• Vegetarians and vegans, because plant iron is harder to absorb.

Low iron often has no obvious symptoms at first. As stores run down, people may notice tiredness, weakness, low energy, trouble concentrating and stomach upset, which are signs of iron deficiency anemia. These symptoms have many other causes, so ask your doctor for a blood test rather than guessing.

If you are looking for a daily way to add trace minerals to your routine, CLE Mineral Drops liquid fulvic trace minerals provide 8 mg of iron per 10-drop serving along with 70+ naturally occurring trace minerals. Iron helps form red blood cells and helps in energy metabolism. CLE Mineral Drops is currently available as a Buy 2 Get 1 Free offer. Because one serving matches the full daily iron need of an adult man or a woman over 50, check with your doctor first, and keep taking any medication you have been prescribed.

What foods are highest in iron?

Food comes first. The NIH lists these amounts per serving:

Heme vs. nonheme iron

Heme iron comes from meat, seafood and poultry and is absorbed well. Nonheme iron comes from plants and fortified foods and is absorbed less efficiently. The NIH estimates that people absorb about 14% to 18% of the iron in a mixed diet, compared with 5% to 12% from a vegetarian diet.

How can you absorb more iron from food?

1. Add vitamin C. Eat plant iron with citrus fruit, strawberries, sweet peppers, tomatoes or broccoli.
2. Combine foods. A small amount of meat, fish or poultry helps your body absorb more iron from beans and greens in the same meal.
3. Time your tea and coffee. Polyphenols in tea and coffee can reduce nonheme iron absorption, so drink them between meals.
4. Separate calcium. Calcium may interfere with iron absorption, so take calcium supplements at a different time of day.
5. Check your medications. Iron can reduce the absorption of levothyroxine and levodopa, and acid-reducing drugs such as omeprazole may lower iron absorption. Ask your pharmacist about timing.

Iron works alongside other trace minerals such as zinc, copper and selenium. Our guide to zinc, selenium, iron and copper for immunity explains how they fit together.

Can you get too much iron?

Yes. The adult upper limit is 45 mg a day from food and supplements combined. Above that, people are more likely to have constipation, nausea, stomach pain and vomiting. A doctor may prescribe higher doses for a short time to correct a deficiency, but that should only happen under medical supervision.

Some people should be especially careful. Hereditary hemochromatosis is a genetic condition that causes the body to absorb and store too much iron, and people with it should not take iron unless their doctor says so. Iron is also a serious danger to young children: the NIH notes that accidental swallowing of iron supplements caused about a third of poisoning deaths among U.S. children in the 1980s and early 1990s. Always keep iron products locked away.

Iron is one of many minerals found in mineral-rich natural sources. If you want to understand how those are delivered, see what fulvic acid is and how trace minerals work.

Frequently asked questions

How much iron does a woman need per day?

Women aged 19 to 50 need 18 mg of iron a day, according to the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. The amount rises to 27 mg during pregnancy and falls to 8 mg a day from age 51, once menstrual blood loss stops.

How much iron does a man need per day?

Adult men need 8 mg of iron a day at every age from 19 onward. Most men who eat a varied diet that includes meat, fish or poultry already reach this amount from food.

Can you take too much iron?

Yes. The tolerable upper intake level for adults is 45 mg a day from all sources, set mainly to avoid stomach upset, constipation and nausea. Iron supplements are also a serious poisoning risk for young children, so keep them out of reach.

Do vegetarians need more iron?

Yes. The NIH says people who follow vegetarian diets need about 1.8 times as much iron as people who eat meat, because nonheme iron from plants is absorbed less efficiently. Pairing beans, lentils and greens with vitamin C-rich foods helps.

Should I take an iron supplement?

Only if your doctor recommends it. A blood test that checks hemoglobin and ferritin shows whether you actually need extra iron, and taking iron you do not need can cause side effects. Never stop or change a prescribed medication without medical advice.

The bottom line on how much iron you need a day

How much iron you need a day depends mostly on your age, sex and diet: 8 mg for men and for women over 50, 18 mg for women 19 to 50, and 27 mg in pregnancy. Most people can meet these amounts with iron-rich foods and smart pairings. If you think you may be low, ask your doctor for a blood test before adding a supplement.

Sources

• NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Iron Fact Sheet for Health Professionals
• NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Iron Fact Sheet for Consumers
• UCLA Health: Women's iron needs throughout life

This article is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before starting any supplement, especially if you are pregnant, take medication or have a medical condition. Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6; keep out of reach of children.