Iron deficiency is very __21__ among women in general, affecting one in four female__22__ and one in five women aged 18 to 45, respectively. But the __23__ is even greater among active women, affecting up to 80 __24__of female endurance athletes. This means, Lyle says, that “too many women __25__ the amount of iron they take in”. Women of child-bearing age are at greatest __26__, since their monthly bleeding is a major source of iron loss. __27__, many health-conscious women increase their risk by rejecting red meat, which __28__the most easily absorbed form of iron. And because women often restrict their diet in an __29__to control weight, they may not consume enough iron-rich food, and are __30__ to experience a deficiency.