14% Of U.S. Adults Have Inadequate Iron, Study Finds: Here's How To Spot Deficiency

As iron deficiency and resulting anemia worsen, people may experience fatigue, chills, shortness of breath, weakness, and dizziness. (Credit: Image by diana.grytsku on Freepik)

Iron deficiency affects far more people than previously thought. A recent study uncovered that 14% of U.S. adults suffer from absolute iron deficiency, meaning their bodies lack adequate iron. Another striking finding is that 15% of adults have functional iron deficiency, where their bodies are unable to properly utilize the iron they have.

The researchers made these interesting findings using a nationally representative survey of 8021 U.S. adults between 2017 and 2020. The participants were non-institutionalized civilian men and women aged 18 or older who had available measurements for serum ferritin, iron, and unsaturated iron-binding capacity.