This paper summarizes several studies which describe significant increases in the intestinal absorption of iron from iron amino acid chelate compared to inorganic iron salts. While these increased uptakes of iron from the amino acid chelate into mucosal tissue are highly significant, this paper also demonstrates that there is a mechanism in the mucosal tissue which controls the quantity of iron from the amino acid chelate that is transferred to the plasma. For example, the higher the hemoglobin value, the less iron transferred. When considered together these studies demonstrate that iron amino acid chelate is both a safe and effective source of iron for treatment of iron deficiencies.