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The Not So Magic Iron Pill
by Hwaa Irfan 11/07/2001
Many people believe that correcting an iron deficiency can serve to increase metabolism and cure anemia. However, over-correcting the deficiency can sometimes be as dangerous as the original health problems.
Strange as it may seem, the fact that women lose iron during menstruation may be a blessing in disguise from Allah (swt) because there is no mechanism for its excretion once it is ingested into the body.
A serious iron deficiency can result in anemia, fatigue, dizziness, nausea, constipation or diarrhea, hair loss, palpitations, poor attention span and recurrent illnesses. However, too much of the element is also unhealthy because the body must then store that extra iron. Stored iron generates free radicals, which are impaired molecules that can cause cellular damage (Galland, p.1). Excess iron can also contribute to heart attacks, increase the risk of bacterial infection and damage internal organs.
Clinical assistant professor of pathology, Jerome Sullivan, at the University of Florida School of Medicine, would like to revive the European custom of blood-letting as the best way to prevent heart disease. "Back in the late 1970's I started thinking about why young women avoided the risk of heart attacks," he recalls. "The accepted explanation was estrogen, but that didn't seem adequate lain the discrepancy. The other major gender difference I noticed was in the levels of stored iron. Post-menopausal women have heart attacks at the same rate as men" (Mulgannon, p.1).
Excess dietary iron can also increase the risk of bacterial infection (Galland, p.1 and Stein, p.28). Studies in South East Asia and in Africa reveal that even low doses of iron supplements can be harmful if one is not iron deficient. When iron supplements were given to the Somali and Masai people, their rates of infection increased - even though their iron deficiency was corrected (Galland, p.1).
Iron, in the form of pills, interferes with zinc absorption and actually aggravates a zinc deficiency (Galland, p.1). A high phosphorus diet, poor digestion, ulcers, excessive use of antacids, and the consumption of coffee and tea can also cause iron deficiencies (Stein, p.28). Drinking a glass of orange juice with a meal or eating a fruit that is high in vitamin C - such as kiwis, citrus or berries - can increase absorption.
The most common iron pills contain 60 - 300mg of iron, even though the recommended daily allowance (RDA) is 1.7 - 7.8mg for infants, 6.1 - 8.7mg for children, and 8.7 - 11.3mg for men. In the U.S., the main sources of dietary iron are: grains, meat, poultry and fish. American foods are also routinely fortified with iron; but depending ones' level of deficiency, only 15 - 45% of the iron is utilized.
Extra iron is initially stored in the liver, with excess amounts being stored in the pancreas, lungs, spleen and heart (Lockie and Geddeds, p.258). These excess amounts build up and destroy the tissues of the storage organs. In fact, iron supplements are the most common cause of pediatric poisoning in the U.S., despite the fact that they are usually meant for consumption by adults. Ingestion of 10 - 50 iron tablets (ferrous sulfate) within a few hours can cause poisoning (3mg is the lethal dosage for children).
About 1 in 300 Americans of European origin have hemochromatosis - a genetic abnormality of excessive iron stores (Eagle, p.2). A normal man will absorb 1mg of iron daily. But in cases of hemochromatosis, the absorption level is 3mg and causes damage to the storage organs. This excessive absorption can lead to anorexia, diarrhea, hypothermia, metabolic acidosis and vascular congestion of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidneys, heart, brain, spleen, adrenal glands and thymus.
It can also lead to impotence in men and amenorrhea (abnormal suppression or absence of menses) in young women. Doctors recommend that in order to ensure optimum absorption and minimal storage of iron, one should include foods containing copper, folic acid, phosphorus and vitamin C (Rain, p.79).
Women with chronic candida or herpes are susceptible to iron deficiencies and those who have cancer or rheumatoid arthritis have difficulty assimilating it. People with sickle cell anemia, thalassemia or hemochromatosis should not take iron and it should be used carefully during pregnancy.
One should also avoid synthetic iron (ferrous sulfate) and use only organic iron. A lack of vitamin B-6 or B-12 can also cause iron deficiencies. Comprehensive lab tests should be performed before taking any supplements (Stein p.28) and any ingestion of iron should be done under the supervision of a doctor.
Sources:
Ansci.Cornell. "Iron Toxicity, What You Don't Know." Ansci.Cornell.edu. 07/07/01.
Galland, Leo. "Dangers of Iron Supplements." HealthWorld Online. 07/05/01.
Lockie, Andrew & Geddes, Nicola. "The Womens' Guide to Homeopathy."
Britain: Hamish Hamilton. 1992.
Mulgannon, Terry. "Death Metal (physiological effects of iron)" Men's Fitness. July 1998.
Rain, Mary. "Earthway" US: Pocket Books. 1990.
Stein, Diane. "The Natural Remedy Book for Women." US: The Crossing
Press. 1992.
Supralife. "Colloidal Minerals: Iron" Eagle-min.com. 07/07/01.
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