Iron Stores Affect Absorption

Healthy adults have total body iron of approximately 4g for men and 2.5g for women.¹ While most of this iron is contained in the hemoglobin in your red blood cells, iron storage sites also contain approximately 1g in men and 0.3g in women.²

In addition to the iron you use each day, you typically lose about 1 mg or more, so it's important to make sure you eat enough iron-rich foods to give your body the iron it needs.^1,2

Under normal circumstances, you might absorb 5 to 10% of the iron in your food.² However, your body will automatically decrease absorption if you have enough iron stored away. And, if you don't have enough iron stores, your body will increase absorption.^2,3