Iron deficiency (
sideropenia or
hypoferremia) is the most common
nutritional deficiency in the world.
Iron is present in all
cells in the
human body and has several vital functions, such as: carrying
oxygen to the tissues from the
lungs as a key component of the
hemoglobin protein; acting as a transport medium for electrons within the cells in the form of
cytochromes; facilitating oxygen use and storage in the muscles as a component of
myoglobin and as an integral part of
enzyme reactions in various tissues. Too little iron can interfere with these vital functions and lead to
morbidity and
death.