This article was previously published on August 1, 2020 and has been updated with new information.
Iron is an essential nutrient that is integral to hundreds of biological functions including oxygen transport, DNA synthesis, and energy metabolism. Almost every cell in your body contains iron.first Plants, bacteria, animals and even cancer cells cannot survive without it.2,3
Plants use iron to make chlorophyll, while animals and humans need it to make hemoglobin, a protein in your red blood cells used to transport oxygen. About 6% of the iron in your body is bound as a component of protein and 25% is stored as ferritin.4
Having too much or too little can have serious consequences. What many people and doctors don’t realize, however, is that iron excess is more common than deficiency.
Doctors can test for iron deficiency as it is associated with anemia, but iron overload is a much more common problem. Adult men and women who don’t menstruate are at risk for dangerously high iron levels. When left untreated, excess iron can damage your organs and contribute to the development of heart disease, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer.5
High levels of iron are associated with a shorter lifespan
Researchers have linked iron excess to a number of medical conditions, and now people have found that people age at different rates when they have an excess in their bodies. European scientists gathered data from an international database to test this theory.6
The dataset equates to about 1.75 million lifetimes.7 They looked at the total number of years lived (life expectancy), the total number of years marked by good health (longevity) and living to old age (life expectancy).8 The researchers identified 10 loci in the genetic sample that appear to influence the aging process.
The majority of loci are associated with cardiovascular disease. Based on statistical analysis, the data suggest that “genes involved in blood iron metabolism are partly responsible for a long, healthy life.”9
The new information is exciting because it suggests a modifiable pathway to explain differences in biological aging and chronic disease rates between people. The researchers note that high iron levels can decrease “the body’s ability to fight infections in old age.”ten which could be another reason why age is a factor in increasing infectious disease severity.
As Paul Timmers from the University of Edinburgh says, the data also offer a plausible explanation for the link between red meat and heart disease. While cholesterol has been implicated in the past, in a growing number of studies, no link has been found between cholesterol and heart disease.11 Comment timer:twelfth
“We are excited by these findings because they show that high blood iron levels reduce our healthy years, and that keeping this level under control can prevent damage related to blood sugar.” We speculate that our findings on iron metabolism may also begin to explain why very high dietary iron intake is associated with age-related diseases. acts like heart disease.”
Excess iron impairs mitochondrial function
Researchers have known since the mid-1990s that when iron binds to a protein like hemoglobin, it plays an important role in cell growth and metabolism.13 But when it is in the free state, it initiates a reaction that generates hydroxyl free radicals from hydrogen peroxide. It is one of the most damaging free radicals in the body and can cause serious mitochondrial dysfunction.
The hydroxyl free radicals damage cell membranes, proteins and DNA. Other research has shown that too much iron promotes apoptosis and ferroptosis in cardiomyocytes.14 Apoptosis is the programmed cell death of diseased and worn-out cells, and as the name implies, ferroptosis refers to cell death that is dependent and specifically regulated by iron.15
Your cardiomyocytes are the muscle cells in your heart that make and control contractions.16 In summary, this tells us that excess iron can impair heart function. These are two ways iron overload can lead to cardiomyopathy, which is the leading cause of death in patients with hemoglobinopathy.
Excess iron also affects blood pressure and other markers of cardiovascular disease, and blood sugar control in people with metabolic syndrome. One study was conducted with 64 participants diagnosed with metabolic syndrome.17 The participants were randomly divided into two groups. First, they gave blood at the start of the study and again after 4 weeks.
The researchers regulated each person’s blood supply and iron levels. They measured systolic blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, plasma glucose, and hemoglobin A1c. The donor group showed a significant drop in systolic blood pressure and had lower blood glucose, hemoglobin A1c, and heart rate levels. No effect on insulin sensitivity.
In an earlier study, scientists removed blood from people with chronic gout.18 Twelve participants with hyperuricemia donated blood over the course of 28 months to keep their bodies at the lowest possible iron stores, without causing anemia. The data showed a marked reduction in the number and severity of gout attacks. Blood removal has also been shown to be safe and beneficial.
How to build high iron levels?
Men and women who don’t menstruate have a higher risk of iron accumulation because their bodies have limited ways of getting rid of excess iron.19 With the genetic disorder hemochromatosis, the body builds up excess and causes harm to the body.20 When this is left untreated, it contributes to many of the disorders discussed above.
Hemochromatosis is a common genetic condition in Americans. There are two genetic mutations inherited, one from your mother and one from your father, to cause the disease. In one study, researchers estimated that 40% to 70% of people with the defective gene would eventually develop iron overload.21
It’s also easy to absorb too much iron from your food, especially when it’s “fortified” with iron. Iron is a common nutritional supplement found in many multivitamin and mineral supplements. Many processed foods are also fortified with iron.
For example, two servings of fortified breakfast cereals can give you up to 44 milligrams (mg) of iron, dangerously close to the 45 mg upper tolerance limit for adults.22 However, the upper tolerance limit exceeds the recommended daily intake, which is 8 mg for men and 18 mg for premenopausal women.23 It’s easy to see how often you can eat too much iron.
Another common cause of iron overload is regular alcohol consumption.24 Alcohol increases the amount of iron you absorb from your food. In other words, by drinking alcohol with foods high in iron, you may end up absorbing more than you need.
Other contributing factors include using iron pots and pans, drinking iron-rich well water, taking multivitamins and mineral supplements together, or eating processed foods.
You can help with severe anemia and help yourself
Regular blood donation can be one of the simplest and fastest ways to reduce your iron and ferritin excess. Donating blood can also save lives. The American Red Cross collects blood at both stationary and mobile sites. According to the organization, more than 80% of what they collect comes from blood transfusions on university campuses and at work.
Unfortunately, one of the consequences of COVID-19 has been a decrease in the number of blood transfusions and blood donations across the United States. This has resulted in a severe shortage.25 Chris Hrouda, who serves as president of the Red Cross Biomedical Service, expressed his concerns to a Press Herald reporter:26
“In our experience, the American public comes together to support those struggling during times of shortage, and that support is needed more than ever during this unprecedented public health crisis. Unfortunately, when people stop donating blood, it forces doctors to make difficult choices about patient care, which is why we need healthy and strong people to roll up their sleeves. clothes and give the gift of life.
We know that people want to help, but they may be hesitant to visit the bloodshed during this time. We want to assure the public that donating blood is a safe process and we have put extra precautions in place at our blood stations and blood donation centers to protect everyone who comes in. . “
Donating blood is a safe and effective way to manage your inventory and help others. The Red Cross answers your eligibility questions on their website.27 They recommend waiting at least eight weeks between donations so your body can fully restore your blood volume.
If you are unable to donate blood because of a medical condition, consider surgical removal of the vein. Although your blood will not be used for donation, they can do the procedure and then dispose of the blood.
If you cannot find a place in your community for services, your insurance policy may pay for common treatments with a doctor’s prescription.28 In both cases, whether you donate blood or give it out, the amount of blood they take is the same.
To donate, you only need a blood donation card, a driver’s license or two forms of identification. People 17 years of age or older, weighing at least 110 pounds, and in general health are eligible.
Annual iron and GGT screening tests may be consulted
Another way to measure the impact of iron toxicity and its effect on mortality is the gamma glutamyl transpeptidase test, sometimes called gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT). GGT is a liver enzyme involved in glutathione metabolism and the transport of amino acids and peptides.
It can be used as a marker for excess free iron, and as an indicator that you are at risk for chronic kidney disease.29 Low GGT levels tend to protect against high levels of ferritin.
When both ferritin and GGT are high, you’re more at risk of chronic health problems and/or premature death. As with many lab tests, normal references vary from lab to lab. Normal laboratory ranges are often not ideal, and those used for GGT may not be sufficient to prevent disease.
As I’ve shared before, the GGT range from ideal to “normal” can be very wide. To fully understand your risks, you’ll need to have both your ferritin and GGT levels checked. For more information about ferritin and GGT, including healthy ranges, see “Donating Blood: You Can Save Your Own Life”.
