Iron
What is iron?
Iron is a mineral that our bodies need for growth and development. Your body uses iron to make hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells. Hemoglobin carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body. Iron is also important for healthy muscles, bone marrow, and organ function. Your body also needs iron to make some hormones.
How do you get iron?Iron is found naturally in many foods and is added to some fortified food products. Foods that are high in iron include:
- Lean meat, seafood, and poultry
- Iron-fortified breakfast cereals and breads
- White beans, lentils, spinach, kidney beans, and peas
- Nuts and some dried fruits, such as raisins
Iron is available in supplements, either on its own or as part of many multivitamin/mineral supplements.
What causes low iron?Most people in the United States get enough iron. The amount that you need each day depends on your age, your sex, and whether you consume a mostly plant-based diet.
Sometimes people can have trouble getting enough iron. There can be many causes, including blood loss, a poor diet, or a problem absorbing enough iron from foods. Those who are more likely to have low iron include people who:
- Have heavy periods
- Are pregnant or breastfeeding
- Are infants (especially if they were born premature or low birth weight)
- Are frequent blood donors
- Have cancer, certain digestive diseases, or heart failure
- Are on kidney dialysis
- Have trouble absorbing iron because they:
- Have a digestive condition such as celiac disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, or Helicobacter pylori infection
- Had weight loss surgery
If you have too little iron, you may develop iron-deficiency anemia. It may not cause symptoms at first, but over time, it can cause fatigue, shortness of breath, and trouble with memory and concentration. Treatment for low iron and iron-deficiency anemia is usually with iron supplements.
What happens if you get too much iron?Too much iron can damage your body. For example, if you are healthy and take too many iron supplements, you may have symptoms such as constipation, nausea and vomiting, abdominal (belly) pain, and diarrhea. Higher iron levels can cause ulcers. Extremely high levels can lead to organ damage, coma, and death.
A disease called hemochromatosis can cause too much iron to build up in the body. Hemochromatosis is inherited (passed down through families). It is usually treated by removing blood (and iron) from your body on a regular basis.
National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements
Physician's Materia Medica on Iron
The entire plant, SWERTIA CHIRAYITA (Roxb.) Lyons. Bitter tonic, resembling Gentian. May be prescribed with the salts of iron.1
The root of JATEORHIZA PALMATA, (Lam.) Miers. A mild bit ter tonic, generally acceptable to the stomach. Especially useful where the stomach is in an irritable condition. Not incompatible with salts of Iron.1
A hematinic tonic, which combines the characters of a predigested nitrogenous food with those of a blood renewing agent. The pre paration is somewhat richer in iron than Haemo-mangan (q. v.), which preparation this resembles in composition and properties, Dose, 4 to 15 c. c. (1 to 4 fluidrachms) after each meal.1
A ferruginous tonic, each fluidrachm containing; Iron Citro peptonate, 1% grs.; ManganeseCitropeptonate, 1/4 gr. The preparation resembles dialysed iron in its freedom from astringency and acidity, but it has the advantage over that preparation in the fact that the iron is presented in the form of an organic compound which is readily assimilable. Clinical experience declares it a most eflicient agent in all conditions in which a blood-euriching tonic is indicated. Dose, 4 c. c. (1 fluidrachm) a1
Alkaloid found in many mydriatic drugs; closely related to Atropine and isomeric with that alkaloid. Dose, 0.0003 to’ 0.0015 (1-200 to 1-40 gr.). b. iron Hypophosphite (Ferrous or Ferric). Hematic tonic as well as nerve food. Dose, 0.03 to 0.30 Grm. (1/2 to 5 grs.).1
Compounds of iron taken internally increase hemoglobin and red corpuscles in the blood. Ferric compounds have also great astringency and are used topically as styptics. a. iron Albumlnate (Ferric). A compound of iron that is be lieved to be more easily assimilated than the inorganic salts. b. iron Arsenate. See under Arsenic. c. iron Bromide (Ferrous). Has an alterative and to some extent a sedative action, in addition to that of an energetic hematinic tonic. Dose, 0.06 to 0.30 Grm. (1 to 5 grs.1
The compounds of MANGANEsE are often given in conjunction with those of iron as hematinic tonics. Some of them are reported to have a specific action as emmenagogues. a. Manganese Bromide. Dose. 0.06 to 0.30 Grm. (1 to 5 grs.). For formula see under Gold Bromide. b. Manganese Carbonate. Hematinic tonic, emmena gogue. Dose, 0.06 to 0.20 Grm. (1 to 3 grs.). c. Manganese Dioxide. Hematinic tonic, emmenagogue, alterative. Used in chlorosis, amenorrhea and in some forms of gastralgia. Dose, 0.06 to 01
Gum-resin obtained from COMMIPHORA MYRRHA, (Nees) Engler. Stimulating tonic, expectorant, emmenagogue; frequently combined with Aloes and Iron in amenorrhea; topically applied in dilute solu tion to spongy gums, aphthous ulcerations of the mouth, etc.1
The seeds of SrnYCrmos NUX-VOMICA. Lin. A tetanizing pois on; a powerful stimulant to spinal nerve centers. Prescribed often with laxatives in chronic constipation to stimulate peristaltic action; more used than any other tonic in nervous debility, associated often with iron and quinine. The active principle, Strychnine, q. v., is largely used in preference to preparations of the crude drug.1
Calcium Phosphate plays an important part in the animal econ omy in supplying the principal part of the solid framework of the body. Hence phosphates constitute an essential part of our food. In some diseased conditions the system fails to assimilate from the ordi nary food suflicient of these compounds to supply the daily waste, and in these conditions the deficiency must be made up by the use of chemicalfonds consisting of combinations of the phosphates of cal. cium, sodium, potassium and iron1