Deficient, Study Finds—Here's What That Means

Weakness, fatigue, and difficulty in focusing are all common symptoms of being iron deficient—and according to a new study from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, nearly one in three Americans have an iron deficiency.

Over 8,000 U.S. adults participated in the study, which revealed that 14% of Americans have absolute iron deficiency and 15% of Americans have a functioning iron deficiency. Iron is a necessary mineral used to produce red blood cells. These cells carry oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues and then return carbon dioxide to the lungs to be exhaled. So, yeah, iron is super important.

Women are the most affected by iron deficiency across both categories and in every age range; the highest prevalence being between the ages of 18 and 50 years old. In this age range, 33% of women have an absolute iron deficiency, while 19% have a functioning iron deficiency, meaning that in this age range alone over half of women have an iron deficiency.

In comparison, men had the highest prevalence of absolute iron deficiency at ages older than 65, affecting 7% of men in this age range, and the highest prevalence of functioning iron deficiency from 18 to 50, affecting 13% of men.

People who are pregnant, or have a condition such as anemia, heart failure, or chronic kidney disease have the highest risk of iron deficiency. However, this study suggests that iron deficiency is prevalent among people without these conditions, with 11% having absolute iron deficiency and 15% having functional iron deficiency.

"This is a common yet underappreciated public health problem," study co-author Leo Buckley, PharmD, MPH, a clinical pharmacology specialist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, told NBC News . "What's unique about our study is we were looking at regular people who would not otherwise have been screened or tested."

To get screened for iron deficiency, visit your doctor and get a blood test that includes a complete blood count (CBC).

Iron-Rich Recipes to Try Looking to up your iron intake? Start by incorporating iron-rich foods into your diet. Foods like meat, seafood, dark green leafy vegetables, and beans are all known to be high in iron. These iron-dense recipes all contain over 20% of your daily value of iron per serving.

Lentils, Kale, and Sausage Soup This meal is a triple threat when it comes to iron-rich ingredients; Lentils, kale, and sausage are all known to be iron-rich foods. Each serving of this hearty, warming soup has 33% of your daily recommended iron intake. Even the crusty bread served with the soup contains iron.

Spinach Alfredo French Bread Pizza Grab some French bread from the market and make this comforting classic packed with iron thanks to bread and spinach . You'll just need 10 minutes of hands-on time before handing it over to the oven. The result is a creamy, cheesy bread with a kick from red onions and gentle spice from a sprinkling of red pepper flakes.

Chickpea and Chorizo Salad