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The foundation of healthy breathing
Every cell in your body contains, and needs, iron. Iron is vital to respiration: it helps carry, hold, and release oxygen. It also helps maintain many of your immune system's functions. And, as a component of a variety of enzymes, it is the backbone of the energy-production process.
A shocking 1997 study showed that one out of 10 American women and small children were deficient in iron. Children and teenagers need extra iron for proper growth. Women need it to make up for iron lost in menstrual blood. Pregnant and lactating women especially need extra iron because they are passing it on to their babies. And athletic people of all ages need extra. So go ahead, have some pat?.
Quick Facts About Iron
- RDA is 10 to 20 mg for most adults; 30 to 60 mg for pregnant or lactating women.
- The best food sources of iron are organ meats (especially liver), lean beef, and chicken.
- Signs of iron deficiency include reduced white blood cell count, hearing palpitations upon exertion, fatigue, irritability, paleness of skin, difficulty swallowing, increased susceptibility to infection, and that lousy all-over "blah" feeling.
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You May Need More Iron If You Have (or Have Had):
- Chronic malnutrition
- Recent injury or severe burns
- Portion of your gastrointestinal tract removed surgically
- Recent blood loss, such as from heavy menstrual periods, surgery, or an accident
- History of excessive alcohol or drug use
Or if you are:
- A vegetarian or vegan
- A woman of child-bearing age and mildly iron-deficient
- Pregnant or nursing
- An athlete or worker who participates in vigorous physical activities
- Over age 55
What Works Best -- and Worst -- with Iron
- Vitamin C increases iron absorption.
- Interaction with copper helps copper absorption.
- Alcohol increases iron utilization but may cause organ damage.
- Iron is necessary for efficient calcium absorption.
- Antacids and cholestyramine decrease iron effect or absorption.
- Milk, tea, and coffee decrease iron absorption.
- Allopurinol may cause excess iron storage in liver.
- Iron diminishes the effects of penicillamine and tetracyclines.
Forms Available
- Capsules
- Oral solution
- Tablets
- Combined with multivitamin/mineral preparations
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Chemical Forms of Iron
- Iron sulfate (ferrous sulfate)
- Iron gluconate (ferrous gluconate)
- Iron glycinate (ferrous gylcinate)
- Iron fumarate (ferrous fumarate)
- Carbonyl iron
- Heme iron
Comments on Iron
When buying mineral supplements such as iron, consider how much iron you get per pill and how well you can absorb it.- Iron sulfate is the most common form and the least expensive of the iron supplements, but it may cause stomach irritation.
- The body metabolizes carbonyl iron more easily than other iron supplements.
- Heme iron is available from animal sources. It is the iron found in hemoglobin and myoglobin -- the oxygen-carrying proteins of the body.
- Ferric iron is 1.5 to 15 times more easily absorbed than ferrous iron. Vitamin C helps convert ferrous to ferric iron.
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Known Benefits of Iron
- Prevents and treats iron-deficiency anemia
- Required for normal oxygen absorption and metabolism
- Component of various proteins and enzymes in the body
- Helps produce ATP
Unproven Claims
- Enhances the immune system
- Enhances physical performance
- Corrects learning impairments in children due to iron deficiency
May Prevent These Signs of Deficiency
- Anemia
- Cold intolerance
- Confusion
- Cracks and sores around lips and tongue
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Heartbeat irregularities upon exertion
- Impaired immune system
- Lethargy
- Problems in swallowing
- Vertigo
- Weak brittle nails
Recommended Dosage Range for Iron
- In order to supplement a well-balanced diet, our pharmacists suggest that healthy men take 15 to 25 mg daily, and that women take 18 to 30 mg daily.
- RDA values were set as the minimum needed to offset deficiency or disease, not as an actual value needed for optimum health.
- Consult your physician before starting any high-dose supplement regimen.
Dietary Sources
Food Tips
- Foods cooked in cast-iron pots and pans absorb iron from the cookware, with acidic foods absorbing the most iron.
- Heme iron is better absorbed than inorganic (non-heme) iron.
- Animal sources are rich in heme iron.
- Plant sources contain inorganic iron.
| Foods High in Iron | Serving Size | Amount of Iron | Units |
|---|
Almonds, dry roasted
Barley
Beef, ground
Black beans
Chicken
Chick peas
Kidney beans
Lima beans
Liver, beef
Liver, chicken
Molasses, blackstrap
Oysters, raw
Potato, baked
Prune juice
Raisins, seedless
Special K cereal
Spinach, cooked
Tomato juice
Wheat germ
White beans
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1 ounce
1 cup
3 ounces
1 cup
3 ounces
1 cup
1 cup
1/2 cup
3 ounces
3 ounces
1 tablespoon
6 medium
1 medium
8 ounces
2/3 cup
31 grams
1/2 cup
6 ounces
1/4 cup
1 cup
|
1.1
2.1
1.8
3.6
1.1
3.2
3.2
1.8
5.8
7.3
3.5
5.6
2.7
3
2.1
4.5
3.2
1.1
1.8
6.6
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mg
mg
mg
mg
mg
mg
mg
mg
mg
mg
mg
mg
mg
mg
mg
mg
mg
mg
mg
mg
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When and How to Take Iron
- Swallow tablets whole with a glass of water.
- Take with food or immediately after meals to enhance absorption.
- Divide large daily doses into three to four smaller doses throughout the day for better absorption.
What to Take with Iron
- Vitamin C enhances the absorption of iron by converting ferrous iron to ferric iron.
- Iron interacts with ceruloplasmin oxidase (an enzyme containing copper).
- Beef, lamb, chicken, pork, and fish enhance iron absorption.
What Not to Take with Iron
- Milk, tea, and coffee may decrease iron absorption.
- Cobalt competes with iron for absorption.
- Soy may decrease the absorption of iron.
- Vitamin D and excess calcium may decrease the absorption of iron.
- Vitamin E is inactivated by inorganic iron, not heme iron.
- Manganese can decrease iron absorption.
Storage
- Keep iron in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and air.
- Don't store iron in your bathroom medicine cabinet. Heat and moisture may make it less effective.
- Store safely out of children's reach.
Recommended Daily Allowance
| AGE/GROUP | RDA |
|---|
Infants
0 to 6 months
6 to 12 months
1 to 3 years
4 to 6 years
7 to 10 years
Males
11 to 14 years
15 to 18 years
19 to 24 years
25 to 50 years
51+ years
Females
11 to 14 years
15 to 18 years
19 to 24 years
25 to 50 years
51+ years
Pregnant
Lactating
1 to 6 months
6 to 12 months
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mg (milligrams)
6
10
10
10
10
12
12
10
10
10
15
15
15
15
10
30
15
15
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Warnings
Consult a physician before use or do not use iron if:- You are about to start a high-dose supplement program.
- You have hemochromatosis (iron storage disease).
Iron May Have Interactions with
- Alcohol: may increase iron absorption.
- Allopurinol: may cause excess storage of iron in the liver.
- Antacids: decrease iron absorption.
- Calcium: iron helps your body absorb calcium.
- Cholesterol-lowering drugs: long-term use of these can cause an iron deficiency.
- Cholesyramine: decreases iron's effects.
- Etidronate: may prevent the proper absorption of iron, calcium, and magnesium.
- Pancreatin: decreases iron absorption.
- Penicillamine: when taken at the same time, can lessen the absorption of iron and magnesium.
- Quinolones: your body does not absorb these (Cipro, Floxin, Maxaquin, Noroxin, Penetrex) well in the presence of calcium, iron, or zinc.
- Sulfasalazine: decreases iron absorption.
- Tetracycline: iron decreases your tetracycline levels, so do not take iron and tetracycline at the same time. Take iron three hours before or two hours after tetracylcine.
- Thyroid hormone: is less effective when taken with iron.
- Vitamin C: increases iron's effect on the formation of hemoglobin and red blood cells.
- Vitamin E: decreases iron absorption, and iron decreases the effects of the vitamin E.
- Zinc: in large doses decreases iron absorption.
Side Effects of Iron
- Doses between 25 and 75 mg per day are not likely to cause adverse effects in healthy adults.
Signs of Overdose
Iron consumption at greater than 18 mg per day could lead to iron overload (hemochromatosis) in the 1 in 250 males with one gene for hemochromatosis. This is much less common in women. Your doctor can check for this by measuring both an iron and an iron binding capacity. You should also note that accidental poisoning in children is somewhat common.
Two possible causes of hemochromatosis are genetic predisposition and over-supplementation for thalassemia or sideroblastic anemia.
These symptoms may indicate an overdose of iron:- Liver, pancreas, heart, and pituitary damage due to iron deposits in the tissue
- Liver cirrhosis, diabetes mellitus, arthritis, cardiomyopathy, and hypogonadism
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Cirrhosis of the liver
- Diabetes mellitus
- Testicular atrophy
- Arthritis
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Dark spots on the skin
What to Do in Case of Overdose
Stop use and contact your physician immediately.
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Sources & Further Reading
Books
- 1. Dell, BL and Sunde, RA.Handbook of Nutritionally Essential Mineral Elements. Marcel Dekker, Inc. New York, NY 1997.
2. Fauci et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, Fourteenth Ed. McGraw-Hill Co., Inc. 1998.
3. Groff, JL, Gropper, SS, Hunt, SM.Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism, Second Ed. West Pub. Co. St. Paul, MN 1995.
4. Meletis, CD and Jacobs, T.The Practitioner's Guide to Drug-Nutrient and Nutrient-Nutrient Interactions. 1996.
5. Werbach, MR.Nutritional Influences on Illness, Second Ed. Third Line Press. Tarzana, CA 1996.
Find more books on health and wellness at  barnesandnoble.com.
Articles
- 1. Abernathy KA; Meuleman JR.Appropriateness of iron prescribing: a retrospective study. Pharmacotherapy, 16(3):473-6 1996 May-Jun.
- 2. Allen LH.Pregnancy and iron deficiency: unresolved issues. Nutr Rev, 55(4):91-101 1997 Apr.
- 3. Bertero MT; Caligaris-Cappio F.Anemia of chronic disorders in systemic autoimmune diseases. Haematologica, 82(3):375-81 1997 May-Jun.
- 4. Bonkovsky HL; Banner BF; Lambrecht RW; Rubin RB.Iron in liver diseases other than hemochromatosis. Semin Liver Dis, 16(1):65-82 1996 Feb.
- 5. Bonkovsky HL; Ponka P; Bacon BR; Drysdale J; Grace ND; Tavill AS.An update on iron metabolism: summary of the Fifth International Conference on Disorders of Iron Metabolism. Hepatology, 24(3):718-29 1996 Sep.
- 6. Bruner AB; Joffe A; Duggan AK; Casella JF; Brandt J.Randomised study of cognitive effects of iron supplementation in non-anaemic iron-deficient adolescent girls [see comments]. Lancet, 348(9033):992-6 1996 Oct 12.
- 7. Castaldo A; Tarallo L; Palomba E; Albano F; Russo S; Zuin G; Buffardi F; Guarino A.Iron deficiency and intestinal malabsorption in HIV disease. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr, 22(4):359-63 1996 May.
- 8. Chawla PK; Puri R.Impact of nutritional supplements on hematological profile of pregnant women. Indian Pediatr, 32(8):876-80 1995 Aug.
- 9. Corti MC; Gaziano M; Hennekens CH.Iron status and risk of cardiovascular disease. Ann Epidemiol, 7(1):62-8 1997 Jan.
- 10. Corti MC; Guralnik JM; Salive ME; Ferrucci L; Pahor M; Wallace RB; Hennekens CH.Serum iron level, coronary artery disease, and all-cause mortality in older men and women. Am J Cardiol, 79(2):120-7 1997 Jan 15.
- 11. Fletcher LM.Alcohol and iron: one glass of red or more?. J Gastroenterol Hepatol, 11(11):1039-41 1996 Nov.
- 12. Gassen M; Youdim MB.The potential role of iron chelators in the treatment of Parkinson's disease and related neurological disorders. Pharmacol Toxicol, 80(4):159-66 1997 Apr.
- 13. Looker AC; Dallman PR; Carroll MD; Gunter EW; Johnson CL.Prevalence of iron deficiency in the United States. JAMA, 277(12):973-6 1997 Mar 26.
- 14. Ull'en H; Augustsson K; Gustavsson C; Steineck G.Supplementary iron intake and risk of cancer: reversed causality?. Cancer Lett, 114(1-2):215-6 1997 Mar 19.
- 15. Weinberg ED.Iron withholding: a defense against viral infections. Biometals, 9(4):393-9 1996 Oct.
- 16. Wurzelmann JI; Silver A; Schreinemachers DM; Sandler RS; Everson RB.Iron intake and the risk of colorectal cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, 5(7):503-7 1996 Jul.
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