Iron

People seem to be obsessed with iron.  If they are tired and pale, a deficiency in iron, the mineral responsible for the bright red colour of our blood, is presumed the culprit.  Iron supplements are then popped open and swallowed, but many don’t realise that too much iron isn’t necessarily a good thing and many iron supplements are ineffective due to what ‘form’ they are in.

If you experience symptoms such as fatigue, loss of appetite, constipation, irritability and are very pale - you may be low in iron.  But before taking supplements confirm with a test done by your doctor.  Most people likely to suffer from iron deficiency are those in underdeveloped countries with very poor diets, or those loosing a lot of blood, such as very heavy menstrual loss.  Taking iron supplements without a prior test may be causing excess in your body.  Excess iron may cause damage to the arteries.  When women loose blood monthly they reduce their blood iron content, this may be why women under menopausal age have less cardiovascular problems than men.  Also, viruses and fungal growths need zinc and iron to remain alive in our bodies, the rapid drop in iron in the blood in response to an infection or virus is the body’s way of starving the alien invader of its essential nutrients.  This research is still in its early stages, so before any sweeping conclusions are made, it is just important to remember that too much iron may not be a good thing.  Our bodies need the correct balance of iron, not too much and not too little.  Revising your diet is again the way to go to ensure good iron intake…eat plenty of seeds, parsley, nuts, dried fruit, pulses, meats, fish, organ meats, pork, molasses and brewer’s yeast.  Only about 10% of iron in food is absorbed.  In fact, the iron in animal products is much easier absorbed than the iron in vegetables where only as little as 2-3% may be absorbed (this is not a reason to not eat vegetables!)

Black tea, drunk by the gallon in most houses in Ireland (!), contains tannins which can block the absorption of iron (and other vital minerals) taken during the same meal.  If you can’t reduce or cut out your ‘cuppa’, leave a gap of about 30mins in between eating and drinking tea.  Phytates, are compounds found in grains and cereals that may combine with the iron and ‘escort’ it out of the body before it even has time to be absorbed!   Iron is added to all flour in the UK (except wholemeal), and studies are now showing that most iron added to flour passes through the body unabsorbed.  According to the grapevine, the Australians used to put iron fillings in bread, in the understanding that the iron content was increased – in fact this type of iron is completely un-absorbable for the body.  Similarly, surprisingly, Popeye’s strength may not be coming form the spinach he is eating as it contains high levels of oxalic acid which blocks the absorption of iron.

Many iron supplements are not absorbed well, such as the supplemental forms ferrous sulphate and ferrous gluconate.  They can also cause problems in the digestive system such as constipation and black stools, a sign that the iron is not being absorbed.  Iron that is in a citrate, ascorbate or ‘chelated to an amino acid’ form is much more easily absorbed and doesn’t usually cause bowel changes.  Iron rich herbal formulas such as Floridix are also a great iron source and can be purchased at your local health food store.  If you must take iron take it with a vitamin C supplement on an empty stomach, as Vitamin C is essential for the body to absorb iron.