The most recent USDA dietary surveys report that about half of women in childbearing years have iron intakes below the mean requirements and some 95% have intakes below the RDA.1 In another study, the majority of the women surveyed did not achieve 70% of the RDA for iron, putting them at strong risk for deficiency.2
These numbers beg the question of why iron supplementation and fortification have had negative publicity in some circles. According to Albion Laboratories (Clearfield, Utah) it started with a Finnish study that found a 2.2-fold increase in heart attack incidence among men with high serum iron (ferritin) levels (over 200mcg/L).3 However, since this study was published, major clinical studies have found no correlation between high iron status and coronary heart disease. Other than the initial Finnish report, there is little evidence that iron supplementation plays a role in cardiovascular disease” except in people genetically predisposed to iron overload.