Nearly 2 billion people around the world are anemic, meaning they don’t get enough iron to produce the red blood cells and oxygen-carrying hemoglobin needed to nourish their myriad cells. In developed nations like the United States, though, iron-poor blood is uncommon. The body stores most of its iron in hemoglobin inside red blood cells and in ferritin, a protein that latches onto iron and sequesters it in the liver, spleen, and bone marrow. Most Americans get all the iron they need from food. The body absorbs iron from meat more easily than it absorbs it from plants. Getting enough vitamin C helps the body absorb iron from food. Because the body does not excrete iron rapidly, it can build up over time and possibly cause problems. That’s why it’s a good idea to ask your doctor if you need to take an iron supplement.