Iron is a mineral found in many foods with high importance for the life of human beings, due to its participation in numerous physiological processes of our body, especially in cellular energy metabolism. The biological importance of iron is due to its ability of easily exchange electrons between the ferric form (Fe3 +) and ferrous (Fe2 +), participating in oxidation-reduction reactions

Iron is the main compound of the hemoglobin protein in red blood cells that is responsible for transporting oxygen and its incorporation in the different tissues of our body. Without hemoglobin cell oxygenation is not performed and couldn’t be no life. Iron is found mainly in the blood but is also present in organs and muscles.

Our body is unable to produce iron, being available exclusively from food. Still, iron is one of the most difficult nutrients to obtain, because foods have only small amounts and our body has low absorption efficiency.

The body must maintain iron homeostasis in order to ensure the normal functioning of biological activities, without the occurrence of adverse health effects. Monitoring systemic iron levels is achieved by regulating absorption and storage.