Iron is essential to human life. As a key component of hemoglobin in red blood cells, iron helps deliver oxygen from the lungs to tissues throughout the body. We can’t survive without it.

However, the National Institutes of Health estimates that about one in four Americans has inadequate iron intake or absorption, which can cause symptoms such as fatigue, weakness and cognitive impairment.

“Iron is a micronutrient that is an important part of a balanced diet, keeping our blood functioning properly,” says Dr. Elizabeth Dixon, physician at Tidelands Health Family Medicine at Murrells Inlet. “Those at risk for iron deficiency include people with conditions that inhibit their ability to absorb iron from food, like people with celiac disease or those who have had gastric bypass surgery. Vegetarians are also at higher risk because they don’t eat meat, which is rich in iron.”

People who have experienced heavy blood loss can also become iron-deficient, as well as those with a bleeding ulcer or even a heavy menstrual cycle. Iron deficiency also becomes more common as we age.

Eating iron-rich foods helps to keep iron levels in the blood within healthy parameters.

There are two types of iron in foods: heme iron and non-heme iron. Heme iron, found in meat, is easily absorbed by the body. Non-heme iron, found in plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables and nuts, is less readily absorbed. However, consuming non-heme iron with foods high in vitamin C can enhance its absorption. Iron-rich foods include:

• Meat, fish, poultry
• Eggs, particularly the yolk
• Spinach and other leafy greens
• Sweet potatoes, broccoli, peas and string beans
• Fortified breads, cereals and pasta
• Legumes, like lentils and kidney beans

Interestingly, Dr. Dixon says, iron levels in meat and vegetables can double if cooked in cast iron cookware.

“People who don’t have enough iron in their blood are likely to feel it,” Dr. Dixon says, “Because their blood is not giving them enough oxygen, they just don’t feel good.”

Symptoms include:

• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness or light-headedness upon standing
• Pale skin

“When a blood test reveals iron deficiency, we can prescribe a daily iron supplement,” Dr. Dixon says. “It’s a simple and effective addition to the diet, which usually does the trick.”