What is iron?
Iron is an essential mineral found in every
cell of your body.
Iron:
• builds red blood cells
• carries oxygen from your lungs to
every cell in your body
• helps your brain work at its best
What happens if I don't get
enough iron?
You may:
• feel tired and weak
• have a low amount of energy
• look pale
• have trouble studying or concentrating
• feel out of breath
• feel cold, dizzy, faint
• be irritable
Why is iron important for me?
All teens need iron to grow and maintain good
health. Teen girls need more iron than boys
because they lose iron during their menstrual
periods. Teen girls, 14 to 18 years old, should
aim to get 15 mg of iron each day.
You may need extra iron if you:
• eat little or no meat, fish, poultry
• have heavy periods or have recently donated
blood
• skip meals or are cutting out foods
• do regular intense exercise
• are pregnant
Don't eat meat?
If you do not eat any meat, fish or poultry,
you need almost twice as much iron.