Mineral
Iron
Iron is found naturally in many foods and is added to some fortified food products. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements publishes a recommended amount of Adult men 19–50 years 8 mg; Adult women 19–50 years 18 mg; Adults 51 years and older 8 mg. Read 2026-08-09.
What is Iron?
NIH's fact sheet for Iron carries no line we quote here under this heading.
How much Iron does NIH publish?
| Life stage | Amount | Printed table |
|---|---|---|
| Adult men 19–50 years | 8 mg | Recommended Amount |
| Adult women 19–50 years | 18 mg | Recommended Amount |
| Adults 51 years and older | 8 mg | Recommended Amount |
| Birth to 6 months | 0.27 mg | Recommended Amount |
| Breastfeeding teens | 10 mg | Recommended Amount |
| Breastfeeding women | 9 mg | Recommended Amount |
| Children 1–3 years | 7 mg | Recommended Amount |
| Children 4–8 years | 10 mg | Recommended Amount |
| Children 9–13 years | 8 mg | Recommended Amount |
| Infants 7–12 months | 11 mg | Recommended Amount |
| Pregnant teens | 27 mg | Recommended Amount |
| Pregnant women | 27 mg | Recommended Amount |
| Teen boys 14–18 years | 11 mg | Recommended Amount |
| Teen girls 14–18 years | 15 mg | Recommended Amount |
| Birth to 12 months | 40 mg | Upper Limit |
| Children 1–13 years | 40 mg | Upper Limit |
| Teens 14–18 years | 45 mg | Upper Limit |
Children and teens
Rows for children and teens appear in the table above, in NIH's own wording.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Rows for pregnant and breastfeeding life stages appear in the table above, in NIH's own wording.
What upper limit does NIH publish for Iron?
- Birth to 12 months: 40 mg
- Children 1–13 years: 40 mg
- Teens 14–18 years: 45 mg
Which foods contain Iron?
"Iron is found naturally in many foods and is added to some fortified food products."
Where these numbers come from
Every quote and every amount on this page comes from National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Iron — Consumer. Public domain (U.S. Government work). LAFYA read the sheet 2026-08-09.
Read the full fact sheet at NIH Office of Dietary SupplementsWhat LAFYA does not say about Iron
LAFYA publishes no claim that iron does anything in the body, because we cannot prove one.