Are you sure you are iron deficient? Males who eat meat on a regular basis are not likely to be iron deficient, except perhaps if they don't produce enough stomach acid. Iron overload migh be a problem for men who take in too much iron. Those who rarely eat meat and especially women who rarely eat meat are much more likely to be iron deficient. Males who are anemic are typically more likely to be deficient in vitamin B12 or folic acid than iron.