Iron
Iron is an essential mineral, that the body needs to function optimally. Iron plays an essential part in the production of both hemoglobin and myoglobin, as well as iron is necessary for numerous other processes in your body.
Furthermore, iron is essential when treating anemia, which is most commonly seen in women with heavy menstrual bleeding, but also in pregnant women and some men.
In todays post we will dive into the benefits of the essential mineral iron, how to implement it into your diet and what an iron deficiency may feel like in your body.
What is the function of iron in the body?
Iron plays an important role in the production of hemoglobin and myoglobin. Hemoglobin is a protein found in red blood cells, that helps to carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body, while myoglobin is a protein that helps carry the oxygen from the lungs to the cells in your muscles. While iron is found in all the cells in the human body, it is mostly found in the red blood cells.
Your body also needs iron to produce some hormones, it is necessary for growth, energy production and neurological development.
Benefits of iron
Iron is important for many processes in the body and therefore offers several benefits to the body. Some of these benefits are:
More energy - Less fatigue
Since iron is a part of the process of carrying oxygen to the muscles and rest of the body, low iron levels may lead to less energy and a lack of focus. It is therefore important to get enough iron, if you want to optimize your energy levels. This will also help with people experiencing fatigue, especially women who menstruate, as they are more prone to iron loss, due to their menstrual bleeding.
Healthy immune system
Iron also plays an important role in the functioning of the immune system and too little iron may increase the risk of getting infections.
Optimal physical perfomance
Iron is essential for the transportation of oxygen to the muscles, therefore low iron levels may impact your physical perfomance. Research on athletes showed, that low iron levels reduced their physical performance in varies of ways including their endurance, strength, coordination and speed.
Healthy pregnancy
When a woman gets pregnant, her need for iron increases, as blood volume and red blood cell production rise during pregnancy, due to the fetus’s need for oxygen and nutrients to grow. Research shows, that low iron intake during pregnancy increases the risk of low birth weight, premature birth as well as infections in the pregnant woman, because of irons role in the immune system as well.
Natural aid for anemia
One of the most prevalent types of anemia is iron deficiency anemia, which develops if you do not have enough iron in your body. Some of the symptoms of this type of anemia includes, fatigue, dizziness, cold hans and feet and pale skin. Some of the causes for iron deficiency anemia is too little iron in your diet or a deficient iron absorption. However, one of the main causes behind iron deficiency anemia, is blood loss. This can both be due to a slow, persistent blood loss or a sudden rapid bleeding. This also means, that women in the reproductive age, who menstruate, are more prone to this type of anemia - especially if they are experiencing a heavy blood flow during their menstruation.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is important to get a blood test and have your iron levels checked in order to find the right way to treat your health issue.
Iron deficiency
Iron deficiency can exist with or without anemia. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms of iron deficiency anemia mentioned earlier, it is always advised to talk to your doctor or other healthcare professional. Some people are at a higher risk of having an iron deficiency. These groups include pregnant women, women who menstruate (especially if they have a heavy bleeding), athletes and vegetarians and vegans.
It is important to seek help from your doctor or other healthcare professional if you are experiencing any of the symptoms of an iron deficiency.
How do I get iron from my diet?
Luckily, there are many foods that are naturally high in iron. Some of these foods include:
— Spinach
— Dark chocolate
— Red meat
— Baked potatoes
— Legumes - especially black beans and kidney beans as well as chickpeas and lentils
— Beef liver and other organ meats
— Fish and shellfish
— Pumpkin seeds
— Grains - especially quinoa
Iron absorption - Heme iron and non-heme iron
As you can see above, a lot of foods have iron in them. However, there are two types of iron and one is absorbed better in the body than the other. Heme iron is found in animal foods like red meat, organ meats and seafood. Non-heme iron is found in plant-based foods like legumes, grains and seeds.
Heme iron is easier for the body to absorb than non-heme iron - this is also the reason that vegetarians and vegans are more prone to having an iron deficiency.
Luckily, there is natural ways to optimize the absorption of iron - even if you do not eat meat. By consuming iron-rich plant foods, together with foods that are high in vitamin C, it will boost the bioavailability of iron - which means you will absorb it better.
Some foods that are naturally high in vitamin C, that you can combine with your iron-rich plant based meals includes:
— Citrus fruits like oranges and lemons
— Hawthorn
— Rose hips
— Parsley
— Kale
Learn more about vitamin C here.
Iron supplements
Some people may need iron supplements if they cannot get enough through their diet, or are in one of the groups more prone to iron deficiency. However, you should always check with your doctor before adding new supplements to your diet, as taking iron supplements when you do not need them, may even be harmful.
As mentioned earlier in the post, some people are more prone to having an iron deficiency and therefore may be in need of iron supplements. These groups include;
— Pregnant women
— Menstruating women - especially those with heavy menstruations
— People who donate blood frequently
— Vegetarians
— Vegans
— Athletes
— Cancer patients
— Patients with gastrointestinal conditions
Talk to your doctor about having your iron levels checked, if you are in any of these groups - especially if you are experiencing symptoms of an iron deficiency.
Women with heavy menstruation might benefit from taking iron supplements only when they are menstruating, as that is when they are losing their iron. I would always recommend trying to optimize your iron intake, while you are menstruating, by eating foods naturally high in iron. If this is not possible for you, then supplements will also do the job.
Dosage
The recommended dietary allowances for iron are:
Birth to 6 months: 0.27 Mg*
7-12 months: 11 Mg*
1-3 years: 7 Mg
4-8 years: 10 Mg
9-13 years: 8 Mg
14-18 years; Male: 11 Mg / Female: 15 Mg / Pregnancy: 27 Mg
19-50 years; Male: 8 Mg / Female: 18 Mg / Pregnancy: 27 Mg
51+ years; Male: 8 Mg / Female: 8 Mg
* Adequate intake
Side effects
Too much iron can be harmful to the body, which is also the reason that you should always have your iron levels tested, before adding iron supplements to your diet.
In certain states of diseases, an excess amount of iron can accumulate in the body, which is called iron overload. Iron overload most often occurs due to genetic mutation, which is called hemochromatosis. Besides hemochromatosis, you can get iron overload due to other causes such as transfusion, hemolysis and elevated dietary consumption of iron.
Iron overload can cause organ damage - especially in the liver, heart and endocrine glands.
Sources
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-Consumer/
https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/hemoglobin-and-functions-of-iron
https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD009747.pub2/full
https://www.cell.com/med/fulltext/S2666-6340(20)30021-0
https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/13/10/2007
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3999603/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0025712516373552?via%3Dihub
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/anemia/iron-deficiency-anemia
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-HealthProfessional/#h4
