HAVE YOU TAKEN YOUR VITAMINS AND MINERALS TODAY ( Long Post)
Iron is regarded as a trace mineral. It may also be referred to as 'ferrous iron' and 'ferric iron'. Iron is an essential nutrient that helps our bodies to transport and release oxygen to all our cells. It works in partnership with folic acid and vitamin B12 to produce 'haemoglobin' or red blood cells. Haemoglobin carries the oxygen around in our body and can be tested for in blood tests. Red blood cells live for 4 months before regenerating, numbers can deplete if a person becomes iron deficient. You can read more in iron and iron supplements.
Iron deficiency is very common in developing countries, especially in children and childbearing women. It is not as common in western countries but can still occur. It is estimated that about 10% of toddlers, adolescents and childbearing women are iron deficient in countries like , , the , and the .
Women require additional iron because of menstruation each month. Pregnant women need iron to support their pregnancy and the growth of their baby. They also need adequate iron to tolerate the normal blood loss at birth and to produce breast milk. Women who are low in iron (whether pregnant or not) may be more tired, pale, lethargic and irritable than would normally be expected.
Iron deficiency can make a person feel apathetic, unmotivated and less physically fit. If the deficiency continues, they can experience headaches and weakness and have poor resistance to illness and cold temperatures. Fair skinned people will tend to look very pale, but people with dark skin need to look on the underside of their eyelids to notice whether it looks pale, rather than more pink or red. An unusual side effect of iron deficiency can be 'pica'. This is a desire to eat non-food substances such as dirt, clay, ice or toothpaste.
Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) for children is about 7 to 9 mg, teenagers need about 10-13 mg and adult men need about 7 to 10 mg (milligrams) per day. Women of childbearing age (19 to 50 years) need approximately 14 to 18 mg per day and pregnant women need 22 to 27 mg a day.
Overdosing. Excess iron through diet alone is rare, except for people with specific health conditions such as haemochromatosis or 'iron overload'. This is because the body tend to automatically adjust to absorb less iron when the iron stores are full. However, excess iron supplements (especially when accompanied with vitamin C) can overwhelm the intestines, possibly leading to a degree of 'iron overload'. Physical signs of iron overload can be similar to anaemia (tiredness, apathy, lethargy) however tissue damage can also occur, especially to the liver. Supplements should not exceed 45 mg per day.
Iron poisoning can occur if small children take adult iron supplements. This can cause them to be nauseated, vomit, have diarrhoea, a rapid heart rate, weak pulse, dizziness, shock and confusion. Taking as little as 5 x 200mg tablets can cause heart failure and death in a young child. Keep your iron tablets out of the reach of children.
The most assimilable form of iron is amino acid chelate, which means organic iron that has been processed for faster assimilation. This form is nonconstipating and easy on sensitive systems.
Ferrous sulphate, inorganic iron, appears in many vitamin and mineral supplements and can destroy vitamin E. Thus, they should be taken at least 8 hours apart.
Supplements, with organic iron - ferrous gluconate, ferrous fumerate, ferrous citrate, or ferrous peptonate - do not neutralize vitamin E. They are available in a wide variety of doses, usually upto 320 mg.
How Iron helps?
Aids growth
Prevents fatigue
Promote resistance to diseases
Prevents and cure anaemia
Helps in getting good skin tone
Some Tips about taking iron supplements
Check the label on your multivitamin or mineral preparation and see what you are already getting so you can guide yourself accordingly.
You might want to have your blood iron status tested by your doctor to be sure you are not getting too much.
If you are pregnant, check with your doctor before takin iron vitamin supplements. Iron poisoning has been found in children whose mothers have taken too many pills during pregnancy.
Do not take iron supplements if you have an infection. Bacteria require iron for growth and extra iron would encourage their increase.
When buying iron supplements, look for the elemental iron content, not the total iron content. For instance, an iron supplement containing 200mg of ferrous sulfate provides 40 mg of elemental iron. Therefore, this iron supplement provides 40mg of iron.
