Check iron intake vs RDA by age and sex — see mg/day, % of RDA and heme vs non-heme tips.
Check iron intake vs RDA by age and sex — see mg/day, % of RDA and heme vs non-heme tips.
Enter values above and click Calculate — results will appear here with the formula explained.
Iron needs follow Recommended Dietary Allowances that differ by sex, age and absorption factor: adult men typically need about 8 mg daily, adult women about 18 mg during fertile years due to menstrual losses, rising to 27 mg during pregnancy. Heme iron from meat absorbs at 15–35% efficiency, while non-heme from plants manages only 2–20%, a gap vitamin C co-ingestion can narrow by enhancing absorption — the calculator weights those sources separately and reports percentage of the age/sex RDA so the figure is contextual, not absolute milligrams alone.
Supplementation above dietary intake warrants testing; iron overload is harmful and self-prescribing high doses without ferritin guidance risks harm. Pair iron-rich meals with citrus, avoid tea or coffee at the same sitting which inhibits uptake, and confirm any persistent fatigue-driven dosing with laboratory work rather than the calculator alone.
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Iron needs follow Recommended Dietary Allowances that differ by sex, age and absorption factor: adult men typically need about 8 mg daily, adult women about 18 mg during fertile years due to menstrual losses, rising to 27 mg during pregnancy. Heme iron from meat absorbs at 15–35% efficiency, while non-heme from plants manages only 2–20%, a gap vitamin C co-ingestion can narrow by enhancing absorption — the calculator weights those sources separately and reports percentage of the age/sex RDA so the figure is contextual, not absolute milligrams alone. Formula: RDA: M 8mg (19+), F 18mg (19-50), 8mg (51+), 27mg pregnancy; % = intake/RDA*100
Iron Intake Calculator: Check iron intake vs RDA by age and sex — see mg/day, % of RDA and heme vs non-heme tips. Formula: RDA: M 8mg (19+), F 18mg (19-50), 8mg (51+), 27mg pregnancy. Example: At 30, female, intake 12mg: RDA 18mg, so 66.
Check iron intake vs RDA by age and sex — see mg/day, % of RDA and heme vs non-heme tips. Formula: RDA: M 8mg (19+), F 18mg (19-50), 8mg (51+), 27mg pregnancy; % = intake/RDA*100
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Age | e.g. 30 |
| Sex | Enter a value |
| Daily iron intake (mg) | e.g. 12 |
All fields use the exact formulas shown below — results include step-by-step breakdowns you can verify by hand.
Iron needs follow Recommended Dietary Allowances that differ by sex, age and absorption factor: adult men typically need about 8 mg daily, adult women about 18 mg during fertile years due to menstrual losses, rising to 27 mg during pregnancy. Heme iron from meat absorbs at 15–35% efficiency, while non-heme from plants manages only 2–20%, a gap vitamin C co-ingestion can narrow by enhancing absorption — the calculator weights those sources separately and reports percentage of the age/sex RDA so the figure is contextual, not absolute milligrams alone.
Supplementation above dietary intake warrants testing; iron overload is harmful and self-prescribing high doses without ferritin guidance risks harm. Pair iron-rich meals with citrus, avoid tea or coffee at the same sitting which inhibits uptake, and confirm any persistent fatigue-driven dosing with laboratory work rather than the calculator alone.
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At 30, female, intake 12mg: RDA 18mg, so 66.7% — increase lean meat, beans or fortified cereals.
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