Facts about Iron (in the body)
- 08
Cytochrome c oxidase, the final enzyme in cellular respiration, requires iron-containing heme groups to transfer electrons and generate approximately 90 percent of the body's energy through ATP production.
- 07
Transferrin, a transport protein synthesized by the liver, carries iron through the bloodstream and delivers it to cells requiring the mineral for hemoglobin production and oxygen metabolism.
- 06
Hepcidin, a hormone produced by the liver, regulates iron absorption by controlling ferroportin, the protein that transports iron from intestinal cells into the bloodstream.
- 05
Iron absorption in the small intestine increases dramatically when stomach acid is present, which is why taking iron supplements with vitamin C enhances uptake by up to 300 percent.
- 04
Ferritin, an iron-storage protein, can hold up to 4,500 iron atoms and serves as the body's primary mechanism for regulating iron levels in blood and tissues.
- 03
Myoglobin, an iron-containing protein in muscle cells, stores oxygen and enables muscles to function during anaerobic exercise when oxygen supply becomes limited.
- 02
Adult women need 18 milligrams of dietary iron daily, while men require only 8 milligrams because menstruation causes monthly iron loss in females.
- 01
The human body contains approximately 3 to 4 grams of iron, with roughly 65 percent bound to hemoglobin in red blood cells.