Iron
Uses in the body: carries oxygen around the body, important for hair health, needed for metabolism of B
vitamins, calcium and copper, boosts immune function.
Signs of deficiency: anaemia, brittle nails, tiredness, muscle ache, headache, faintness, hair loss,
digestive problems often linked to low levels of stomach acid.
Therapeutic uses: fatigue and weakness, PMS, hair loss, poor nails. Important for breastfeeding women,
vegans and vegetarians (iron from plant sources isn't always absorbed easily) and coffee drinkers (caffeine
severely affects iron absorption if taken within an hour of eating).
Dietary sources: blackstrap molasses, cocoa, wholegrains, liver, kidney, egg yolk, shellfish, nuts, soya
produce, dark green vegetables, dried fruit.
Dosage:
Recommended daily allowance: 14 mg
Typical therapeutic daily dose: 14mg to 50mg (in the long term, doses of around 15mg are best; in the
short term, higher doses may be given under supervision)
Daily intake shouldn't normally exceed: 15mg
Cautions: doses above 50mg can cause stomach upset, constipation and blackened stools. Not suitable
for people with iron absorption problems (haemochromatosis) and certain types of cancer. Seek
professional advice from a practitioner.
Best taken: with vitamin C, to aid absorption and prevent constipation, and at least one hour before
coffee consumption. Don't take with other minerals, especially zinc, which affect absorption. Liquid iron
formulas are often best absorbed by people with weak digestion
Iron is an element that can help promote a healthy and efficient immune system. It is a component of enzymes
found within immune cells that chew up foreign substances. Iron is also involved in the entire process of
respiration. It is needed for oxidative phosphorylation and is a key component in hemoglobin.
Iron deficiency is one of the most common deficiency diseases in the world, even though iron is a common
element that is among the ten most abundant elements in the universe and in the earth’s crust.
Iron’s most critical role in the body is the production of hemoglobin, a component of blood that helps carry
oxygen to the tissues. Hemoglobin is found in our red blood cells and makes up over 95% of the protein in the
red blood cell and accounts for about 10% of the weight of whole blood. Not only is iron required for the
production of hemoglobin, but it is critical to the whole respiration process.
Iron is involved in many processes in the body. Further, various enzymes depend on iron to function,
especially the cytochrome P450 systems of the liver. These enzymes serve the important function of helping
remove toxic substances from the body. Iron is also essential to energy production.
Iron works with many enzymes in biochemical reactions in the body. However, to be used most efficiently
iron must be present with proper amounts of copper, cobalt, manganese, vitamin C, and all B-complex vitamins.
Women need more iron due to the loss of blood during the menstrual cycle, and the need for iron is also
increased during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
