IRON – demystifying causes of high and low iron

[Cari]

“Iron destroys vitamin E, so vitamin E should be taken as a supplement. It shouldn’t be taken at the same time as the iron-contaminated food, because iron reacts with it in the stomach. About 100 mg. per day is adequate, though our requirement increases with age, as our tissue iron stores increase. Coffee, when taken with food, strongly inhibits the absorption of iron, so I always try to drink coffee with meat. Decreasing your consumption of unsaturated fats makes the iron less harmful. Vitamin C stimulates the absorption of iron, so it might be a good idea to avoid drinking orange juice at the same meal with iron-rich foods. A deficiency of copper causes our tissues to retain an excess of iron, so foods such as shrimp and oysters which contain abundant copper should be used regularly.” -Ray Peat

[Cari]

“Regular good light exposure is probably important for preventing the displacement of copper by iron.” – Ray Peat

[Cari]

It is surprising to me to discover that too much iron causes fatigue and anemia does too. Dr. Ray Peat says anemia is rare so why all of the iron supplements in everything? @Zack Vegas @J.R.L

“Hemochromatosis, or iron overload, is a condition in which your body stores too much iron. It’s often genetic. It can cause serious damage to your body, including to your heart, liver and pancreas. You can’t prevent the disease, but early diagnosis and treatment can avoid, slow or reverse organ damage.”

“Too much iron can be toxic.

In the heart, it can cause:

Arrythmia (irregular heartbeat).
Heart failure.
Too much iron in the liver can lead to:

Cirrhosis (scarring).
Enlarged liver.
Liver cancer.
Liver failure.
In addition, iron overload can cause:

Arthritis (joint damage).
Diabetes.
Problems with the spleen, adrenal glands, pituitary gland, gallbladder or thyroid.
Problems with the reproductive system, such as erectile dysfunction in men and early menopause in women.
Skin that may look noticeably more gray or bronze than usual.
If the condition isn’t treated, it can lead to death.”

“The condition is fairly common, affecting more than a million Americans.”

 

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14971-hemochromatosis-iron-overload#:~:text=Fatigue%20(feeling%20tired%20a%20lot,the%20pointer%20and%20middle%20fingers.

 

 

 

 

 

[Zack Vegas]

Anemia is fairly common in the non developed world, but fairly rare in developed countries.  Also, iron-deficiency anemia is only one kind of anemia, and many can happen even with high iron levels.  I think the most common cause of anemia in the US is probably from low levels of some of the B vitamins, especially B6 and B12.

The reason iron is in so many foods is due to iron fortification laws (which Peat says were based on flawed notions in the 1940s).  These laws never should have been passed in the first place, and should have been repealed in the 1970s.  Jym Moon in his book, “Iron, the Most Toxic Metal” discusses how he and other iron researchers (including the late great E.D. Weinberg) testified before congress and the USDA that supplemental iron was harmful, and that fortification programs be ended.  Even when Iron Deficiency Anemia does exist, it’s a medical problem, and cannot be solved with widespread “nutrition” solutions.

I know from getting deironed myself that lowering iron levels can increase energy levels and improve mood.  It’s a subtle thing that happens over months, but I personally did feel significantly better when I got it near deficiency.

• This reply was modified 2 weeks, 4 days ago by Zack Vegas.

[Cari]

@Zack Vegas</span>  “The reason iron is in so many foods is due to iron fortification laws (which Peat says were based on flawed notions in the 1940s).  These laws never should have been passed in the first place, and should have been repealed in the 1970s.  Jym Moon in his book, “Iron, the Most Toxic Metal” discusses how he and other iron researchers (including the late great E.D. Weinberg) testified before congress and the USDA that supplemental iron was harmful, and that fortification programs be ended.”

This sounds like the nefarious fluoride situation. I just don’t understand that why with so many iron symptoms do doctors not consider that instead of doling out  medications for arthritis, diabetes, menopause and the other health issues I posted about above. Like you said in another post if a laymen like myself knows this why don’t doctors?

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