Iron in the diet: what guidelines recommend and why the amount differs for men and women

The body needs iron, but guidance on how much depends on the institution, country, age, and physiological stage. The difference between men and women is primarily related to the different needs of women before menopause, while after 50 years, the guideline for women in the recommendations cited becomes similar to that for men. These figures are population-level guidelines, not personalized prescriptions.

What the evidence base says

NHS in the United Kingdom gives a guideline of 8.7 mg of iron per day for men aged 19 and over. For women aged 19–49, this guideline is 14.8 mg per day, while from 50 years onward it is 8.7 mg per day—the same figure as for men. Thus, within the NHS approach, the difference primarily concerns women under 50.

EFSA sets a population reference intake for men at 11 mg per day and for women before menopause at 16 mg per day. In the United States, the National Institute of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements, gives 8 mg per day for men aged 19 and over and 18 mg per day for women aged 19–50. According to the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia and Ministry of Health New Zealand, the guideline is 8 mg for men aged 19 and over and 18 mg for women aged 19–50.

During pregnancy, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements of the National Institute of Health in the United States, the recommended daily intake of iron increases to 27 mg. After 50 years, this same US guideline for women is 8 mg, while Australian and New Zealand institutions also indicate 8 mg. Different figures between guidelines do not mean that one of them is automatically correct for every person: institutions may use different approaches when establishing reference values.

What this looks like in practice

The guideline should be considered together with age and physiological stage, rather than as a universal personal target. The following examples can be used to compare guidelines:

• NHS recommends 8.7 mg of iron per day for men aged 19 and over.
• EFSA gives 11 mg per day for men.
• For women aged 19–49, NHS gives 14.8 mg, EFSA gives 16 mg, and US, Australian, and New Zealand guidelines give 18 mg per day for the relevant age groups.
• During pregnancy, the Office of Dietary Supplements of the National Institute of Health in the United States gives 27 mg of iron per day.
• After 50 years, NHS gives 8.7 mg for women, while the US Office of Dietary Supplements and Australian and New Zealand institutions give 8 mg per day.

What to consider

The higher guideline for women before menopause in the recommendations cited explains why the same amount of iron is not used as a guideline for all adults. After 50 years, in data from NHS, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand, the figure for women decreases to a level close to or the same as that for men. During pregnancy, the guideline increases separately.

Population reference values are not personalized prescriptions and do not account for all individual circumstances. If questions about the amount of iron in your diet are related to pregnancy, dietary patterns, or another life situation, it is appropriate to discuss them with a healthcare professional. Do not independently turn the figures given here into a supplement regimen.

In brief

• Guidelines for men aged 19 and over in different institutions are 8, 8.7, or 11 mg of iron per day.
• For women before menopause, guidelines give higher figures: 14.8, 16, or 18 mg per day.
• During pregnancy, the Office of Dietary Supplements in the United States gives 27 mg per day.
• After 50 years, the guidelines given for women are 8 or 8.7 mg per day.
• These are population-level guidelines, not personalized prescriptions.

This is general information about nutrition and habits, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication, or have a chronic condition, discuss dietary changes with your doctor.