Iron deficiency is the most common micronutrient deficiency in the world and negatively impacts health in several ways 1, 2. ID and IDA contribute to stunting and impaired growth, increased behavioral problems, and delayed mental and motor development 3, 4, 5-7. Studies have also shown that some of the behavioral and developmental consequences of ID and IDA in young children are not reversible with treatment 8. Despite the fortification of infant and toddler foods in the United States, a significant number of children still develop ID or IDA 9. Current treatment recommendations include a wide dosage range (3-6 mg/kg/day), which represents amounts that are higher than routine supplementation levels for adults (typically equivalent to < 1 mg/kg/day), reflecting the challenge and imprecision of effective treatment for ID and IDA in children. Iron excess is not without risk, and studies in adults have shown local (intestinal) and systemic inflammatory changes within days of iron therapy initiation 10, 11. Recent advances in the understanding of the regulation of iron homeostasis and metabolism indicate that systemic inflammation induces a protein called hepcidin, which blocks the uptake of iron into the body12, 13. Thus, stimulation of inflammation by high dose iron supplements may actually counteract the intended beneficial effect of the increase in iron intake.