The recommended daily iron intake varies by age, sex, and life stage:
- Adult men (19 years and older): 8 mg per day
- Adult women (19 to 50 years): 18 mg per day
- Women over 50 years: 8–8.7 mg per day
- Pregnant women: 27 mg per day
- Breastfeeding women: 9–10 mg per day
- Teen boys (14–18 years): 11 mg per day
- Teen girls (14–18 years): 15 mg per day
- Children (varies by age): roughly 7–11 mg per day depending on age
Women of childbearing age need more iron primarily due to menstrual blood loss, and pregnant women require even more to support fetal growth
. Vegetarians may need almost twice as much iron as listed because plant-based (non-heme) iron is less well absorbed than heme iron from animal sources
. Iron-rich foods include red meat, poultry, seafood, legumes, leafy greens, nuts, and fortified cereals. Vitamin C-rich foods can enhance iron absorption
. In summary, adult men generally need about 8 mg daily, adult women 18 mg, and pregnant women 27 mg of iron daily to maintain healthy levels.
