I hope I didn’t give the impression that supplements are a valid alternative to meat, Ivan, as I certainly didn’t mean to! But they may be important to anyone who avoids meat, and especially anyone who avoids all animal-source foods. Not just iron supplements, but supplements of any nutrient that is either missing from, or has poor bioavailability from, plant-based diets. B12, zinc, calcium, DHA… these are the main ones.