Iron: Vital for oxygen, growth, and energy, but excess can harm. Balance is key!

Iron – the double edge sword. The human body has no mechanism to rid itself of excess iron

Your body needs about 18 minerals for body maintenance and regulatory functions – and iron is one of the TOP SIX. Two facts you need to understand about vitamins and minerals: Vitamins cannot function, cannot be assimilated, without the aid of minerals; and minerals cannot be produced by the human body. We need it from a diet i.e. food or supplement.

The RDA of iron – a micronutrient – is 10-15mg per day (for adults). 10mg for males and 15mg for females. Iron is important in haemoglobin formation. Haemoglobin is the iron-containing protein attached to red blood cells that transports oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. Iron is also very important during growth and pregnancy.

Iron, which is absorbed in the intestines (duodenum – the first part), comes in two forms: heme (animal sources) and nonheme (plant sources). Found in meats, the heme form is well absorbed. Many adults are deficient in iron, and this is a common cause of persistent fatigue. For women who have had two or more pregnancies and or heavy periods, iron deficiency is something to watch for. Other symptoms of iron deficiency include split nails, a sore tongue and cold hands and feet.

Iron is a trace mineral. We need small amounts, and we need it in metabolism as part of enzymes and proteins – but most importantly it transports oxygen. Iron is involved with making red blood cells and hemoglobin. 60% of Iron are used in your red blood cells and about 4% in your muscles. The rest is stored in your spleen, liver and bone marrow.

Infants and young children have higher iron needs relative to their size than other age groups. People who have increased blood loss caused by ulcers or heavy menstrual periods or who take arthritis medications (such as aspirin) are at high risk for iron deficiency.

“Hemo” comes from the Greek haima, meaning “blood”

“Globin” refers to a type of protein

So, hemoglobin literally means “blood protein.” You have about 40 trillion blood cells in your body, of which 70% are red blood cells.

Symptoms

Fatigue (prevalence of Anemia)

14 to 15 grams of hemoglobin per decilitre when we run a blood test. More females than males are affected by low iron because of their menstrual cycle.

What can one do about fatigue? Get sufficient sleep. Most adults do not sleep the recommended eight hours a night. Get in eight hours of sleep, or improve the quality of your sleep, and you will probably overcome most of your fatigue within a few days. Sleep is not just something you have to do when you finally collapse into bed at the end of your day. Sleep is an opportunity for intense rejuvenation, repair and restoration of body functions.

Growth hormone, the most powerful internal reparative hormone, is released while you sleep, so sleep is also good for anti-aging.

Benefits of Good Iron levels in the body:

Aid growth
Promote resistance to disease
Prevent fatigue
Bring back good skin tone

Pallor (paleness)

Arterial blood is red. Venous blood is blue.