What Are the Uses of Iron?

Iron is used to make alloy steels like carbon steels with additives such as nickel, chromium, vanadium, tungsten, and manganese. These are used to make bridges, electricity pylons, bicycle chains, cutting tools and rifle barrels. Cast iron contains 3–5% carbon. It is used for pipes, valves, and pumps.

What Are the Uses of Iron?

Iron is a mineral that is found in every cell in the human body. It is necessary for many vital processes in the body, including the production of hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in the blood, and the metabolism of energy.

Iron is also important for the maintenance of healthy skin, hair, and nails. The body stores iron in the liver, spleen, and bone marrow.

When the body needs iron, it releases a hormone called hepcidin, which signals the cells to release stored iron into the blood.

The body absorbs iron from food in the small intestine. The amount of iron that is absorbed depends on the amount of iron that is present in the food, as well as the body‘s need for iron.

Certain substances, such as coffee, tea, and eggs, can decrease the amount of iron that is absorbed from the intestine. Iron is found in food in two forms, heme and non–heme iron.

Heme iron, which makes up 40 percent of the iron in meat, poultry, and fish, is well absorbed. Non–heme iron, 60 percent of the iron in animal tissue and all the iron in plants (fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts) is less well absorbed.