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Iron
Nutrition for Blood Donors |
Proper nutrition is important to maintain your body’s
normal functions and overall general health. Adequate
iron intake and balance is important in maintaining your
body’s normal function of manufacturing blood cells.
At the Blood Center, a fingerstick blood count determination
(sometimes called iron level) is used as a screening test
to qualify you for blood donation. A minimum acceptable
result in this test is set in order to avoid temporarily
lowering your blood count through blood donation to below
normal levels. If your blood count was below this minimum
acceptable level for blood donors today, you may wish
to consider increased dietary iron intake in order to
stimulate increased blood cell production in anticipation
of future blood donations. The following information
about iron nutrition will help you as you plan to increase
your iron intake through the foods you eat. (Note: consultation
with your personal physician is recommended prior to beginning
a course of iron supplementation beyond dietary intake.)
-
All types of red meat, fish and poultry are excellent
dietary sources of iron, since iron from these sources
is most easily absorbed by your body.
- Many
vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans and grains are also
good dietary sources of iron, but iron from plant
sources such as these is not absorbed efficiently
by your body. Vitamin C enhances iron
 absorption
from such plant sources, so eating vitamin C- containing
foods (grapefruit, oranges, tomatoes, broccoli, and
strawberries) in combination with iron-rich vegetables,
fruits, nuts, etc. is recommended.
-
Caffeinated beverages (coffee, tea, soda) taken with
meals can act as iron blockers, as might excess consumption
of high fiber foods or bran supplements.
- The
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for pre-menopausal
women is 15 mg. per day. The RDA for men and post-menopausal
women is 10 mg. per day.
- Iron
foods
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