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How Iron Works in Your Body

Iron is an essential mineral essential to red blood cell function and hormone balancing, supporting numerous hormones as well as being an integral part of proteins that transport oxygen from muscles (myoglobin). Iron-rich foods include meat, eggs, seafood (especially dark leafy vegetables and beans), multivitamins and iron supplements.

Most of our body’s iron is stored within a protein known as ferritin, so when low on iron it can access this reserve. Ferritin also helps prevent excess iron from creating harmful free radicals or being transported through bloodstream to be utilized by other cells.

Heme iron found in hemoglobin is responsible for transporting oxygen throughout the body from bloodstream to cells. Once blood cells release their stored oxygen, heme iron binds back with hemoglobin and the production of new red blood cells begins. This process is regulated by iron-responsive elements which promote or inhibit transcription; iron can also be transported directly into mitochondria where it provides energy production support.

The Recommended Dietary Allowance or RDA of iron for adults is 8 mg daily; pregnant women require more due to blood loss during menstruation and increased demands from a growing fetus. Children and adolescents also run the risk of deficiency.

Even with a healthy diet, some individuals cannot absorb enough iron due to insufficient iron-containing proteins in their bodies being produced to hold onto it all. People may experience blood loss; develop digestive diseases that prevent absorption of essential nutrients; or have an inherited condition like hereditary hemochromatosis which causes excess iron accumulation in their bodies. The Ultimate Plan includes a full iron panel measuring 11 markers to help determine your optimal level of iron. By leveraging this information, you can make changes in diet and lifestyle that will lead to greater wellness. Furthermore, iron markers on this panel may show early symptoms of anemia or toxicity and should therefore be closely monitored regularly.

Iron Deficiency

Iron is an essential mineral for many functions in your body, from helping blood carry oxygen through blood vessels to producing red proteins for muscle color and producing energy via enzymes. Iron deficiency occurs when there isn’t enough iron-containing foods consumed or lost through surgery or bleeding; or when your cells cannot absorb enough of this essential mineral. Rare genetic disorders that impair digestion and absorption could also make iron deficient.

Anemia, caused by having too few healthy red blood cells, is the hallmark of iron deficiency and often manifests itself with fatigue and weakness as oxygen cannot get to their organs and muscles. Iron deficiency anemia is particularly prevalent among infants, children, and adolescent girls due to breastmilk or low-iron milks failing to provide all the iron they require, with solid foods difficultly being absorbed by their bodies, growth spurts requiring additional iron supplementation during puberty, periods (menstrual bleeding) or restrictive dieting which restricts food intake.

If you experience symptoms of iron deficiency anemia such as fatigue, dizziness and breathlessness it’s wise to visit your physician as these could also be signs of cancer or cardiovascular disease. It is also essential that an accurate diagnosis be obtained because these may also indicate other conditions, like cancer and heart disease.

Your GP will often prescribe iron supplements as a solution to help replenish any missing iron in your system. They’ll give you specific instructions for taking these tablets safely without side effects, perhaps encouraging you to drink orange juice along with them so they are easily absorbed by your body. Typically, taking iron tablets for six months until blood levels return to normal is necessary.

Your GP may refer you to a specialist in blood disorders known as a hematologist for additional testing and treatment, including diagnosing anemia based on how your red blood cells look under a microscope and other tests, while treating any potential causes that could be leading to it.

Hemochromatosis

Hemochromatosis is an iron accumulation disorder in which too much iron builds up in your blood and organs, often going undetected due to symptoms overlapping with those of other conditions or only becoming apparent once damage has been done to liver or heart organs. More common among people of Northern European ancestry than anyone else, genetic testing can determine your risk for hereditary hemochromatosis.

Hereditary hemochromatosis typically first manifests itself during adulthood. Symptoms may include stiff joints, joint pain and fatigue as well as liver problems and heart failure. Hemochromatosis can usually be managed through regular blood removal (phlebotomy) to lower iron levels and limit potential damage caused.

Doctors typically diagnose hemochromatosis by performing blood tests and physically examining their patient. They may use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to assess how much iron has accumulated in organs such as livers or pancreases; MRI uses magnets and radio waves to take pictures without harming organs in any way. Furthermore, doctors might take a small piece of liver with needle and view it under microscope to see if its size or damage have increased due to too much iron accumulating within. They might also inquire as to any family histories associated with hemochromatosis – or ask whether any relatives suffered from liver disease or arthritis in relation to who they came from!

Serum transferrin saturation testing can quickly and accurately identify iron overload before any symptoms appear. The test measures how much iron binds with protein transferrin (which carries it around in your blood). A saturation value exceeding 45% should be considered excessive. Referral to a specialist such as a hepatologist or cardiologist may also be necessary, with blood samples sent off for further analysis by laboratory professionals to check HFE gene variants that increase your risk of hemochromatosis or beta thalassemia, such as HFE mutation. A genetic test may also help identify which first-degree relatives need screening; those predisposed to hereditary hemochromatosis will likely need regular phlebotomy treatments.

Iron-Rich Foods

Iron is found in many foods, from meat and seafood to fortified cereals, vegetables, nuts, beans, soy and iron-enriched bread. A typical diet provides approximately 18% of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of iron; RDAs differ depending on age and gender – with pregnant women needing more iron than adults. Iron supplements are also readily available over-the-counter; forms available include ferrous sulfate, ferrous fumarate and ferrous gluconate supplements – each has different amounts of elemental iron content so the user must read labels carefully to choose an appropriate dosage amount when selecting their supplement(s).

Heme iron from animal sources has an average bioavailability of 40% while non-heme iron from plants is less easily absorbed by our bodies. Plant-based foods containing non-heme iron are more readily absorbed when eaten alongside sources of vitamin C such as tomatoes, strawberries or oranges; additionally phytates found in many foods – especially leafy vegetables like spinach – reduce its absorption.

Iron deficiency should be recognized early to avoid fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath during physical exertion and constipation. Individuals at risk should regularly have their blood levels tested to make sure that they’re getting an appropriate amount of iron; additionally it’s wise to avoid long-term use of high dosage iron supplements which could potentially cause constipation and digestive issues.

Accidental iron overdose was once one of the leading causes of poisoning among children; however, due to improved manufacturing and labeling practices this threat has greatly diminished. Too much iron ingestion can cause stomach ache, nausea and vomiting – even potentially lethal if someone suffers from hemochromatosis. To help avoid accidental overdoses keep all iron supplements away from children and only take those prescribed by a healthcare professional; additionally avoid exceeding 20 mg elemental iron at one time when taking supplements with food.