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Minerals
 

Iron

Iron is of great importance in human nutrition. The adult human body contains between 3-4 g of iron, of which 60-70 percent is present in the blood (Hb iron) as circulating iron, and the rest (1 to 1.5 g) as storage iron. Each gram of heamoglobin contains about 3.34 mg of iron.

Sources of iron:

There are two forms of iron, haem-iron and non-haem iron. Haem iron is better absorbed than non-haem iron. Foods rich in heam-iron are liver, meat, poultry and fish. They are not only sources of readily available iron but they also promote the absorption of non-heam iron in plant foods eaten at the same time. The iron content of milk is low in all mammalian species. Iron content of breast milk averages less than .2mg/dl, and it is well utilized.

Foods containing non-heam iron are those of vegetable origin, e.g. cereals, green leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts, oilseeds, jaggery and dried fruits. They are important sources of iron in the diets of a large majority of people. The bioavaillability of non-heam iron is poor owing to the presence of phytates, oxalates, carbonates, phosphates and dietary fibre, which interfere with iron absorption. Other foods, which inhibit iron absorption, are milk, eggs and tea.


The Indian diet which is predominantly vegetarian contains large amounts of these inhibitors, e.g. phylates in bran, phosphates in egg yolk, tannin in tea and oxalates in vegetables. In some areas significant amounts of iron may be derived from cooking in iron vessels.

Benefits of Iron:

Iron is necessary for many functions in the body including formation of haemoglobin, brain development and function, regulation of body temperature, muscle activity and catecholamine metabolism. Lack of iron directly affects the immune system; it diminishes the number of T- cells and the production of antibodies. Besides haemoglobin, iron is a component of myoglobin, the cytochromes, catalase and certain enzyme systems.

Iron is essential for binding oxygen to the blood cells. The central function of the iron is oxygen transport and cell respiration.

Absorption: Iron is mostly absorbed from duodenum and upper small intestine in the ferrous state, according to body needs.

The rate of iron absorption is increased by many factors like iron reserves of the individual, the presence of inhibitors (e.g. phosphates) and promoters (e.g. ascorbic acid) of iron absorption and disorders of duodenum and jejunum.

Iron absorption is greater when there is an increased demand for iron, as for example during pregnancy.

The absorbed iron is transported as plasma ferritin and stored in liver, spleen, bone marrow and kidney. When red cells are broken down, the liberated iron is reutilized in the formation of new red cells.

Daily loss of iron from the body

The total daily iron loss of an adult is probably 1 mg and about 2 mg in menstruating women. Major routes of iron loss are:

  • Through haemorrhages, that is wherever blood is lost, iron is lost, the causes of which may be physiological (e.g. menstruation, childbirth) or pathological (e.g. hookworms, malaria, haemorrhoids, peptic ulcer)
  • Basal losses, such as excretion through urine, sweat and bile and desquamated surface cells.
  • The recent widespread use of IUDs in the family planning programme is an additional cause of iron loss.
  • Hormonal contraceptives on the other hand decrease menstrual blood loss by about 50 percent.

Deficiency symptoms of iron

Three stages of iron deficiency have been described:

  • First stage is characterized by decreased storage of iron without any other detectable abnormalities.
  • An intermediate stage of latent iron deficiency that is iron stores are exhausted, but anemia has not occurred as yet. Its recognition depends upon measurement of serum ferritin levels. This stage is the most prevalent stage in India.
  • The third stage is that of overt iron deficiency when there is a decrease in the concentration of circulating haemoglobin due to impaired haemoglobin synthesis.

The end result of iron deficiency is nutritional anaemia, which is not a disease. It is rather a syndrome caused by malnutrition. Besides anaemia there may be other functional disturbances such as impaired cell mediated immunity, reduced resistance to infection, increased morbidity and mortality and diminished work performance.

Daily requirement of iron
Because of the recycling of iron, only a small amount of iron is needed by the body. In general iron requirements are greater and there is rapid expansion of tissue and red cell mass, as for example during pregnancy, childhood and adolescence

Requirement of iron for different age groups is given below in the table:

Age group

Iron in mg that should be absorbed (daily needs)

Infants (5-12 months)

0.7

Children (1-12 years)

1.0

Adolescence (13-16 years)

1.8 (males)

2.4 (females)

Adults, males

0.9

Adults, females

Menstruation

Pregnancy (first half)

(Second half)

Lactation

Post- menopause

2.8

0.8

3.5

2.4

0.7


 

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Comment Script

Comments

contraceptives
geez, are we promoting hormonal contraceptives here as a means of diminishing iron loss?
#1 - nola girl - 08/25/2007 - 22:37
iron absorption
if calcium affect iron absorption
#2 - mahmoud barakat - 09/11/2007 - 09:54
i donate blood on a regular basis and the last time i was turned away because my iron level was too low. they suggested i eat raisens. does this work?
#3 - hannah - 06/07/2009 - 13:46
I donate blood also and have that problem with my iron test. They have to take it to the lab and test it. It always comes out ok. For some reason my blood just won't drop like its suppose to in their blue liquid! Yet my iron level is just fine. If your diet is good, have them check your blood by some other method.
#4 - Judy - 06/08/2009 - 07:04
my donation has been turned down twice for the lack of the proper amount of iron in my blood. the raisin bit did not help at all. what will work? how can i raise the iron level in my blood?
#5 - aud - 07/04/2009 - 08:09
Take an amino acid chelated iron supplement. Never take an iron supplement with calcium and take it sometime when you are not eating/drinking dairy products.
#6 - Kendra - 09/20/2009 - 09:39
There's a long list of good sources at http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/factsheets/iron.asp
It's the National Institue of Health - Office of Dietary Supplements

Watch the intake of any kind of liver though, if it's not organic it could be dangerous... because there's high levels of toxins in the feed / antibiotics.
#7 - Yan - 11/01/2009 - 18:11
I have too much iron in my system yet my ferritin level is great. We cannot figure out where the iron is coming from. Are there other sources of iron beside the obvious foods?ie stainless steal pots, well water...
I do limit my meat & processed food.I drink plenty of milk , cheese & I also take calcium pills with my dinner.
#8 - Lynn - 11/21/2009 - 12:29
I recently started taking Iron Im taking about 65mg. I'm a 26 year old female, that's having trouble getting pregnant, i been pregnant before. One of my older lady friends told me consuming IRON would help me. Is this true?????
#9 - anxiousbaby - 12/03/2009 - 00:10
Can you find minerals in in water? Would they still be good for you if they were in water?
#10 - My info, NOT YOURS - 01/13/2010 - 18:25
my mothre has blood bressure ,she is not pregnant but the doctore say she has difciency of iron ,what she can do?
#11 - amiy - 04/23/2010 - 08:53
helooooooooooooo,
i don't get this!
#12 - trinity. - 06/22/2010 - 09:01
i dont get this stuff.
#13 - luc. - 06/22/2010 - 09:02
i dont get this
#14 - bIGDICK - 06/22/2010 - 09:04
when was this aticle last updated
#15 - elizabeth - 06/24/2010 - 21:21
i really need this...........pls...help me...
#16 - may - 07/08/2010 - 20:51
Hello Lynn,
Yes there are many sources of iron besides the obvious daily foods. Below is the list in ascending order or power. These have cured most stringent anemia cases.

1. Stinging Nettle : Boil a half hand full of nettle leaves in 2 cups of water and drink the tea. Cautious though while collecting the leaves, they really sting! use gloves. Boil the leaves for atleast 5 minutes to neutralise the toxins in the stings. Drink this tea 3 times a day for around 1 month.

2. Greens + Orange Juice : Parsley, Celery, Spinach; a handful of one of them with a cup of fresh orange juice. 2-3 times a day for a month.

3. Cook foods in Iron Pots ( not stainless steel ).

4. Boil down 10 cups of well or spring water ( only from a trusted source, far from pesticide loaded farms ) to 1 cup and drink 1 cup a day. It is full of natural minerals!

Regards
Leo
#17 - Leo - 07/20/2010 - 13:06
is there any problem due to lack of haemoglobin for newly married women
#18 - amit - 08/03/2010 - 06:04
eat Farina,0 sodium,maxs iron.
#19 - nick - 02/04/2011 - 21:17
I appreciate the concern which is been rose. The things need to be sorted out because it is about the individual but it can be with everyone. I like this particular article It gives me an additional input on the information around the world Thanks a lot and keep going with posting such information.
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#20 - serlin thomas - 03/31/2011 - 03:35
I know you can purchase iron pills, supplements, but if a child or possibly an adult, well I heard that iron posioning was very high amount children. Maybe they would eat many pills and this is a leading cause of death, with children. Don't know if this is true or not, the pills are not tasty! Would a doctor, or pharmacist comment on this, please.
#21 - Roy M. White - 11/19/2011 - 16:36
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