Salt form conversion
- 324 mg ferrous fumarate = 106 mg elemental iron
- 240 mg ferrous gluconate = 27 mg elemental iron
- 325 mg ferrous sulfate = 65 mg elemental iron
Primary functions
- Component of enzymes, cytochromes, myoglobin, hemoglobin.
Sources
- Animal sources (contain heme and nonheme iron): meat, poultry, seafood.
- Plant sources (contain only nonheme iron): spices, legumes, spinach, raisins, molasses.
Dietary Reference Intake
- 0-6 mo: 0.27 mg/day; Info: total intake >40 mg/day assoc. w/ incr. adverse effects
- 7-11 mo: 11 mg/day; Info: total intake >40 mg/day assoc. w/ incr. adverse effects
- 1-3 yo: 7 mg/day; Info: total intake >40 mg/day assoc. w/ incr. adverse effects
- 4-8 yo: 10 mg/day; Info: total intake >40 mg/day assoc. w/ incr. adverse effects
- 9-13 yo: 8 mg/day; Info: incr. to 10.5 mg/day if menstruating; total intake >40 mg/day assoc. w/ incr. adverse effects
- 14-18 yo, females: 15 mg/day; Info: incr. to 27 mg/day if pregnant, decrease to 10 mg/day if breastfeeding; total intake >45 mg/day assoc. w/ incr. adverse effects
- 14-18 yo, males: 11 mg/day; Info: total intake >45 mg/day assoc. w/ incr. adverse effects
- 19-50 yo, females: 18 mg/day; Info: incr. to 27 mg/day if pregnant, decrease to 9 mg/day if breastfeeding; total intake >45 mg/day assoc. w/ incr. adverse effects
- 19 yo and older, males: 8 mg/day; Info: total intake >45 mg/day assoc. w/ incr. adverse effects
- 51 yo and older, females: 8 mg/day; Info: total intake >45 mg/day assoc. w/ incr. adverse effects
Note: vegetarians may require 1.8-fold greater iron intake as nonheme iron less bioavailable than heme iron.
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