Vegetarian diet and iron intake:
Food and Nutrition Board Institute of Medicine recommendations for iron intake: According to the Food and Nutrition Board Institute of Medicine, recommendations for iron intake has been proposed based on estimates of the maximum rates of absorption attainable by individuals in order to maintain a serum ferritin concentration of 15 mg/L, considered an adequate level of iron. Ferritin is a level in the blood checked by doctors to determine adequate iron stores. Those eating a mixed diet with meat contain heme iron (the hemoglobin found in the blood of animals). The iron bioavailability in these sources is much higher and therefore incidence of iron deficiency may be lower than vegetarians. It was suggested by this literature source that iron present in vegetarian foods requires to be consumed in 2-fold greater amounts than those eating a non-vegetarian diet to meet requirements. Vegetarian diets contain non-heme iron which is the type of iron present in fruits, vegetables, bread, cereal, and grains and are sometimes fortified with iron by food companies. This source recommends the following amounts of iron per day for each of the mentioned age groups: infants 0-6 months, 0.27 mg; 7-12 month olds, 11 mg; children 1-3 years old, 7 mg; 4-8 year olds, 10 mg; 9-13 year olds, 8 mg; males 14-18 years old, 11 mg; females 14-18 years old, 15 mg; all males over 18 years old, 8 mg, females age 19-50, 18 mg; females over age 50, 8 mg; all pregnant women, 27 mg; lactating females under age 18, 10mg; and lactating females over age 18, 10 mg. As noted above, vegetarians of the corresponding age groups are encouraged to obtain twice the amount of iron recommended. (16)