The World Health Organization estimates that between 600 and 700 million people suffer from iron deficiencies. It is probably the most common nutritional deficiency in the world, particularly in developing countries. The lack of iron in Western Europe is usually due to an insufficient proportion of this mineral in our daily diet.
It is estimated that approximately 8% of Western women suffer from iron deficiency. However, Dr. Mike Nelson, a nutritionist at King’s College at the University of London, finds that between 10% and 20% of young women are affected. Although these girls appear to be in good health, iron deficiency affects their daily lives, decreasing their ability to concentrate and, therefore, their school performance.
The best sources of iron
Feeling constantly tired or have a pale complexion are symptoms that may indicate that your diet is lacking iron and has reached a level of lack. To know what is behind these symptoms, the doctor will have to perform a blood test in order to measure in what situation is your hemoglobin rate. You can then diagnose if you have a risk of iron deficiency or if you have already developed anemia.
The body absorbs about 25% of the iron present in meat, fish and poultry. However, when iron comes from cereals, vegetables or fruit, we absorb much less. The amount of iron would increase if you also take vitamin C in citrus fruits, berries, kiwis, peppers and potatoes, fructose in fruits and fruit juices, and proteins in meat and fish.
Instead, iron absorption would be reduced if food, eggs, bran and tea were taken at the same time.
The nutrients may interact with each other or with other components of the feed at the site of absorption, resulting in a change in bioavailability or, if the enhancers and inhibitors cancel each other out, a null effect. Enhancers may act in different ways, keeping the nutrient soluble or protecting it from interaction with the inhibitors. For example, as carotenoids are fat-soluble, adding small amounts of fat or oil to food (3-5 g per meal) improves their bioavailability. Similarly, although meat, fish and poultry contain highly bioavailable iron, it is also known to enhance the iron absorption of all foods. Although this “meat factor” has not yet been identified, is believed to be due to the influence of muscle protein. Vitamin C can also be of great help and can increase the absorption of iron two or three times. That is, taking a glass of orange juice with breakfast cereals contributes to the body using a higher proportion of iron present in cereals.
An example of competition for the same system of use is the interaction between calcium and non-heme iron. Both minerals bind to a conveying agent on the surface of the intestinal cells but, while non-heme iron enters cells like this, calcium stays at the gates and prevents more iron from entering. This effect is especially relevant when taking calcium or iron supplements outside of meals. Therefore, it is advisable to use such supplements at different times of the day in order to avoid this interference.
In the case of several nutrients, mainly calcium, magnesium, iron, floated and vitamin A, it is necessary to know its bioavailability to translate physiological needs into food needs. The magnitude of the adjustments varies depending on the nutrient, the usual diet and various factors related to the host, and it is difficult to evaluate most of these aspects. Taking all these influences into account, it is not surprising that nutrient-based dietary recommendations differ between countries and institutions, although the EURRECA Network of Excellence works to standardize evaluation methodologies across Europe.
We must be very careful when choosing how we combine food if we are in a physiological situation in the availability of a certain nutrient establish the separation between health and illness.