A Dr. Anthony Komaroff, MD, Internal Medicine, answered. The innate immune system is first and best known for a family of white blood cells called phagocytes, which reside very close to the layer of epithelial cells that line much of the body's surface. Dr. Anthony Komaroff, MD, Internal Medicine, answered. The innate immune system is first and best known for a family of white blood cells called phagocytes, which reside very close to the layer of epithelial cells that line much of the body's surface.
The iron content of the body is highly conserved (Bothwell et al 1979). To achieve iron balance, adult men need to absorb about 1 mg/day and adult menstruating women about 1.5 mg/day, although this is highly variable. Towards the end of pregnancy, the absorption of 4-5 mg/day is necessary. Requirements are higher during periods of rapid growth in early childhood and adolescence.
Adolescent and adult males need 10 milligrams of iron a day, while adolescent and adult females need slightly more, 10 to 15 milligrams a day. If you are pregnant, iron is especially important for your baby's fetal growth. Pregnant women need 30 milligrams of iron a day; breast-feeding women need 15 milligrams daily. If you have an iron deficiency, treatment is usually 50 to100 milligrams of elemental iron taken three times daily for at least two months to reverse anemia. After the first two to three months of initial treatment, supplementation often continues for another six months to ensure the body has adequate iron reserves.