Iron deficiency anaemia is a common health concern, particularly among females of child-bearing age. However, a person can be deficient in iron and not have anaemia. Conversely, not all anaemia cases are caused by iron deficiency. Iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency (1). What is iron? Iron is a mineral present in multiple proteins in the human body, such as haemoglobin in red blood cells and myoglobin in muscles (1, 2, 3). Iron-containing proteins are key for oxygen transport, DNA synthesis, generation of energy by mitochondria (1, 3), enzymatic processes (1), immunity and cell signalling (3). Iron metabolism The equation below illustrates what happens with iron in our…