Iron Metabolism in Infants

There is a critical need for iron intake during the first period of life. The growing infant requires iron to synthesize hemoglobin and to supply expanding tissues with iron-containing enzymes. A lack of iron will eventually lead to iron deficiency anemia, one of the most common single nutrient deficiencies in the world. Today, detailed information has increased our understanding of iron bioavailability from different dietary sources, uptake mechanisms of iron into the small intestinal muco...