27/08/2020
Iron forms an essential part of hemoglobin and myoglobin in the body. Dietary iron has two forms-heme iron and non-heme iron. Heme iron comes mainly from red meat including fish like tuna, and poultry like ostrich and duck. Non-heme iron comes from plants and iron salts. Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency world-wide.
Iron is a well-known essential nutrient that most people associate with energy. Along with regulating cell growth and other vital functions, iron is vital for producing Hemoglobin, a protein red blood cell use to deliver oxygen throughout the body. Without enough oxygen, all metabolic functions suffer. On the flipside, too much iron is toxic and can be equally, if not more, damaging than having too little, and may cause organ damage and raise the risk the for diabetes, heart attack, neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimerâs and cancer.
HEMOGLOBIN:
A protein red blood cells use to deliver oxygen throughout the body.
Many factors influence iron levels including diet, gender, age, and activity level. A clientâs genes may also play a role, particularly in the tendency for above âNormalâ iron levels. Research has found that certain gene mutations may impact how much iron the body absorbs and recycles, creating borderline or high levels of iron in circulation.
At the extreme end is a genetic disorder called hemochromatosis, which occurs in about 10 percent of white people of Northern European ancestry. People with this condition absorb three to four times as much iron from food as those without these genetic mutations. Other mutations can leave a person susceptible to a milder form of hemochromatosis, leading to accumulating slightly higher than average stores of iron.
Low iron tendencies also can dwell in a personâs DNA. Research finds that a polymorphism of the TMRSS6 gene may influence iron absorption and increase the risk for iron deficiency anemia, which means a person doesnât have enough iron to produce the hemoglobin they need for their red blood cells to carry proper amounts of oxygen.