Iron

Requirements:

• RDA:
  
  18 mg./day for females
  10 mg./day for males
  1 mg./kg. body weight for infants
  10 mg./day for 6 months to 3 years
• Daily Optimal Intake:
  
  Variable

Supplement Forms:

• Iron fumarate
• Iron gluconate or iron lactate (low amount of iron, very expensive)
• Iron sulfate (can cause constipation)

Food Sources:

• Amaranth, cooked
• Beef liver
• Black strap molasses
• Ground beef
• Lentils, cooked
• Oysters
• Prune juice
• Pumpkin seeds
• Rice bran
• Rice polishings
• Roast beef
• Sesame meal
• Spinach
• Sunflower seeds
• Swiss chard
• Tofu

Signs and Symptoms of Deficiency:

• Canker sores
• Decreased endurance
• Decreased growth
• Fatigue, anemia
• Hair loss
• Impaired mental ability
• Increased susceptibility to infection
• Skin problems including pruritus, photodermatitis, brittle nails
• Sore tongue

Causes of Deficiency:

• Blood loss
• Decreased absorption
• Decreased intake

Adverse Reactions and Toxicity:

• Amenorrhea
• Arthralgia
• CNS effects
• Cancer
• Cardiac failure
• Decreased immunity
• Don't supplement with iron unless indicated by chem. screen showing low ferritin level
• Impotence
• Lethargy
• Liver cancer, cirrhosis
• Pancreas damage
• Parkinson's disease
• Rheumatoid arthritis/inflammation
• Risk of coronary artery disease
• Sterility

Drug/Nutrient Interaction:

• Aspirin and fish oil decrease serum iron
• Birth control pills increase serum iron
• Causes for decreased iron absorption:
  
  Bran
  Carbonate
  Coffee
  Excess metal ions: cobalt, copper, zinc, cadmium, manganese
  Fiber (but not cellulose)
  High iron stores
  Hypo- or achlorhydria
  Infection or inflammation
  Oxalates
  Phosphates (eggs, cheese, milk)
  Phytates
  Protein deficiency
  Tannins (black teas)
• Causes for increased iron absorption:
  
  Amino acids: lysine, histadine, cysteine and/or methionine
  Citric acid and fumarate
  EDTA and NTA
  Fructose
  HCL
  Lead
  Vitamin C
• High zinc can decrease iron absorption
• Iron deficiency can alter folate metabolism
• Thyroxine can deplete iron
• Tricyclic antidepressants induce iron deficiency leading to jitteriness
• Vitamin E binds to iron in the gut so decreased absorption

Biochemical Functions:

• Cellular respiration (cytochrome proteins contain iron)
• Cofactor for catalases, p450 enzymes (detoxification), and peroxidases (involved in free radical destruction)
• Hb and myoglobin-for oxygen transport

Clinical Indications:

• Candidiasis
• Fertility/Infertility
• Anemia
• Decreased immune function
• Menorrhagia
• Restless leg syndrome

Copyright 1998 - 2008 by L. Vicky Crouse, ND and James S. Reiley, ND. All rights reserved (ISSN 1527-0661).