Why is iron important for infants?

According to Rhonda Patrick, iron is crucial for infant growth and development. Although breast milk is low in iron, which helps prevent bacterial infections by limiting microbial access to this nutrient, infants' serum iron levels drop significantly after birth. This drop reduces the risk of neonatal sepsis, a severe bacterial infection. Infants utilize their iron stores initially, but by six months, they can begin to develop iron deficiency anemia. Therefore, pediatricians recommend introducing iron-rich complementary foods around this age to prevent deficiency and support healthy growth 1.