Iron:The Mineral You Might be Missing
By Kar Yan Cheung

Don't you wish that when ever you needed a burst of energy and strength you could guzzle a can of iron-rich spinach, like Popeye, to get that vital mineral to go to work instantly?

Unfortunately it isn't that easy to absorb the iron in most foods, which is a reason why iron deficiency is one of the most common micronutrient deficiencies in the world.
 
Though it is most prevalent in developing countries and in individuals suffering from malnutrition and parasites, iron deficiency also affects affluent countries. In the US, 75 percent of college-aged females report low dietary iron intakes (it's assumed to be similar in Canada). In Japan, it is estimated that 25 percent of all women suffer from iron deficiency.

Iron in your body

The iron in your body can be divided into three categories: haemoglobin iron, transport iron and storage iron. Haemoglobin iron is iron that is intricately bonded to haemoglobin, allowing red blood cells to carry oxygen. Haemoglobin is produced daily and is your main form of iron. Without a proper supply of gas-carrying haemoglobin, the cells of your body would be starved of oxygen, so processes would slow or even stop. Therefore, to conserve such a valuable nutrient, your body has developed a way to recycle iron by breaking down aging red blood cells. Whenever there is some excess iron in the body, it is converted into storable forms. These iron stores are found in your bone marrow, spleen and liver.

Transferrin is the transport molecule used to move iron around in your circulatory system. Transferrin and ferritin are used by doctors as indicators to check your current iron needs. A bone-marrow test is used to confirm iron deficiency and anemia.

Iron in the diet:

Iron is found in eggs, meat, liver, fish, spinach and other green leafy vegetables, whole grains and enriched cereals. It’s also in almonds, avocados, black strap molasses, brewer’s yeast, kelp, legumes, raisins and some herbs.

There are two main categories of dietary iron: heme iron and non-heme iron. Heme iron is found in meat, eggs and other animal products and is the most readily absorbed and used by your body. It is a stable compound found in the haemoglobin in your blood. Non-heme iron, on the other hand, is 'free' iron, and is not intricately bonded to cells or is part of a weak cell complex, so is more difficult to absorb.

Iron absorption, though, depends greatly on how well your stomach digests food. An abundant amount of stomach acid is required to convert iron from food into a usable form. Those of us who have low stomach acid (hydrochloric acid) have difficulty absorbing iron. If you experience gas, heartburn, bloating or fullness hours after eating a meal, you probably have low stomach acid. Common elements such as phytates and tannins in cereals and tea may hinder absorption further because they form compounds that your digestive system can't process.

Other factors that affect iron stores include excessive coffee consumption, a diet high in phosphorus (reduce pop intake), long term illness, prolonged antacid use, deficiency of Vitamin B and A, strenuous exercise and heavy perspiration.

Iron deficiency:

Since iron is so vital, deficiency affects many processes of your body. Iron is essential for growth, immune system, cognitive development and energy. Symptoms of iron deficiency include fatigue, irritability, hair loss, lengthwise ridges on the nails, dizziness, paleness, a general lack of well-being and increased susceptibility to infections. Iron depletion occurs over a period of time when requirements exceed the body's capability to replenish it, such as during illness, stress and menstruation. You'll experience iron deficiency well before it progresses to anemia. Anemia is diagnosed when iron stores are exhausted to a point where red blood cell production is greatly affected

Those more prone to deficiency include toddlers, adolescents, menstruating women, pregnant mothers (without supplements, most women will become iron deficient during pregnancy), vegetarians and those with gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowl syndrome, ulcers and hernias. Women have a higher incidence of deficiency than men.

Your body can regulate its iron by modifying its absorption from food. That means, when you need more iron for growth or to replenish stores, your body's efficiency at absorbing iron increases accordingly. When your needs are satisfied, the body adapts and absorption decreases.

Small changes:

There are simple and effective methods to improve your iron absorption. First, since ascorbic acid (vitamin C) helps convert iron into an absorbable form by as much as 30 percent, eat vitamin C-rich foods such as yellow peppers and tomatoes with your meat or with your iron-rich greens. (It is not recommended to eat fresh fruit after the meal because it interferes with meat digestion.) Or eat fruit with your cereal. Another method is to combine heme iron food sources (meat, eggs) with non-heme iron foods (green vegetables, legumes). Heme iron increases absorption of non-heme iron. Finally, look for unprocessed sources of iron foods or their enriched counterparts. Since many of today's foods are highly processed, consuming more natural, unrefined products like whole, unprocessed grains will naturally increase iron.

Iron supplementation:

It's difficult for most women to get the iron you need without taking supplements. Men and post-menopausal women usually do not have to take supplements (unless you are vegetarian) because your requirements can be met with slight dietary changes. In cases of clinically diagnosed iron deficiency, the doctor usually prescribes iron sulphate pills. It may take up to four months to restore iron to normal levels. Some side effects are nausea, diarrhea and most commonly, constipation. These symptoms are proportional to the amount of iron you take, so start off slowly and increase dosages to let the body adjust. However, absorption of this form of iron is affected by many factors including low stomach acid, poor digestion, coffee, tannin and phytates.

An alternative is iron supplements that are bonded with amino acids, called iron amino acid chelates. These are more efficiently used by the body and the most absorbable form available. They provide a safe, effective source of iron.

References:

1. Duffy, T. (2000). Microcytic and hypochromic anemias. L. Goldman(Eds.), Cecil textbook of medicine. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders.
2. Pizorrno, J. (Ed.). (1999). Textbook of natural medicine. Edinburgh: W.B. Saunders.
3. Ronald, H. (Ed.). (2000). Hematology: basic principles and practice. New York: Churchill Livingstone.
4. Theil, E. (2004). Iron, ferritin, and nutrition. Annual Review of Nutrition.
5. Dr. James Balch (1999) Prescription for Nutritional Healing. NY: Avery Publishing

This article has appeared in, and is supplied courtesy of  VISTA Magazine

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