Should You Have Foods that Are High in Iron or Iron Supplements?
Iron is needed to make healthy red blood cells, which supply the body with oxygen. Without enough iron, your immune system will not be at its peak and your level of energy will go down. Yet iron requires your careful attention to be of benefit because too much and too little are equally damaging.
Too much iron can cause substantial harm
Half of Americans have too much iron in their body. Over one million Americans have an inherited disorder that causes them to store too much iron which can cause considerable problems:
- If you take too much iron you will age faster.
- Too much iron stored in your cells increases your risk for heart disease.
- Excess iron creates free radicals which cause cancer. Iron also feeds cancer cells directly.
- Chances are you are absorbing less than 10% of the iron you ingest. The remainder takes days to travel through your colon if you don’t consume a diet high in fiber. This unabsorbed iron then reacts with fats in the undigested food and may lead to colon cancer.
- Researchers believe high levels of free iron (non-absorbed) in the brain may be one of the causes of Parkinson’s disease.
- Iron overload has been found in many persons with psychiatric illnesses and can cause or worsen their psychiatric problems. Excess iron will store in the central nervous system. A study of seven psychiatric patients conducted by Dr. Paul Cutler, “Iron Overload in Psychiatric Patients” and published in the American Journal of Geriatrics, showed that when they were treated for iron overload, psychiatric behavior diminished significantly. In the months that followed the treatment, the symptoms did not return.
- The common practice of taking iron before surgery does more harm than good.
- If you have an infections of the gastrointestinal tract avoid iron and iron-fortified foods during the course of the infection. Iron feeds pathogens that cause GI infections.
- Breast milk is far superior to iron-fortified formulas. Breast milk iron is protein-bound and is better absorbed and much less available to microorganisms that cause GI infections.
How you can keep iron beneficial
- Eat at least six ounces of protein per day. Protein keeps iron safely bound and beneficial.
- Avoid white flours, white rice, and enriched flour products. Consume only whole, unrefined grain products. These contain trace minerals and phytates that naturally limit iron absorption.
- Consume adequate amounts of antioxidants such as vitamin C, E, beta-carotene, zinc, manganese, copper, and selenium to minimize the production of free radicals from iron.
- Avoid the use of cast-iron pots unless you are low in iron.
- Ask your doctor to perform a serum ferritin test every year.
The body has few exit routes for iron and is very efficient at recycling it. Only blood loss, endurance exercise, and disease increase iron loss.
The benefits of iron
Iron can also be very beneficial to your body. It can increase the concentration of oxygen in tissues and is necessary for your brain to function at its best. We have seen the problems too much iron can cause in the body, but having too little is not good either.
A low level of iron in the body can increase your risk of certain cancers such as cancer of the stomach. Iron is necessary for adequate energy levels, but don’t take it just because you are tired because both too little and too much iron can cause fatigue.
A serum ferritin test performed by your doctor is the only way to assess your iron needs. Until you know what you require, take an iron-free multivitamin and avoid all cereals and other foods fortified with iron. ”Ferrous” is the name of iron on vitamin labels.
The best form of iron
The best form of iron is heme iron. It is found in animal products such as meat, chicken and fish. These foods also have a factor called MPF which enhances iron absorption. By eating foods rich in vitamin C or taking vitamin C supplements you can also increase the absorption of iron. It is the most absorbable form of iron.
Heme iron from food cannot be absorbed in excess as easily as synthetic iron in fortified foods or supplements. Heme iron from food will not increase the production of free radicals in the intestinal tract.
However, if you need to take an iron supplement, the best kind will be a natural heme iron found in liquid liver extracts. Do not take iron supplements without having a serum ferritin test performed by your doctor.
Factors that decrease iron absorption include coffee, tea, antacids, soy protein, manganese supplements, and fiber, such as the one found in whole wheat and wheat bran.
Foods with iron
Food sources for iron include:
- Meat
- Fish
- Poultry
- Eggs
- Legumes
- Dried fruits. The reason why dried fruits have more iron than fresh fruit is that they are dried in iron containers.
Bottom line…
Iron is necessary for health, but too much iron can cause problems. Do not take iron supplements without your doctor recommending it because the iron in supplements and in iron fortified foods doesn’t get absorbed too well and will get stored in your body cells, creating the problems we have already seen.
If you have diabetes or heart disease, it is very important you have a test done to make sure you don’t have high levels of iron.
To your health!
Emilia Klapp, R.D., B.S.
www.TheDiabetesClub.com
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