Iron Absorption and Diseases
Iron Absorption and Diseases.. Do you often feel tired, suffer from headaches and feel irritable? Although many factors can cause these unpleasant symptoms , one of the problems is possibly that your diet is not rich enough in iron.
Iron is an essential nutrient for all ages. It allows the oxygen we breathe to circulate properly in the blood and is involved in the regeneration of body cells. In short, without iron, the cells of our body do not work well at all.
Some diseases can affect the proper absorption of iron: Crohn’s disease and Celiac disease, among others. In addition, infants, women and the elderly are particularly at greater risk of suffering from iron deficiency.
Dietary iron exists in two forms: Heme and non-heme. Heme iron is found in meat, fish, poultry and seafood while non-heme iron is found in plant foods such as vegetables, whole grain cereals and legumes. Generally speaking, heme iron is absorbed much faster and better than the non-heme iron. Foods containing vitamin C as well as meat, fish and poultry, if consumed at the same time as non-heme iron, can increase non-heme iron’s absorption up to four times.
Certain foods- cocoa, coffee, tea can interfere with the absorption of non-heme iron if consumed together or just after. They bind iron in an insoluble complex, and this complex is eliminated by the intestines.
Vegetarians will have to ensure they consume adequate amount of iron, especially women practicing endurance sports and those that are at their teenage years. Vegetarians and vegans should not neglect legumes and oilseeds, which are valuable sources of both protein and minerals, including iron.
A recent American study has demonstrated that women consuming a lot of iron-rich vegetables had 40% lower risk of suffering from premenstrual symptoms. A Spanish study suggests that iron in meat increases oxidative stress, unlike iron derived from plants, such as vegetables .
The Mediterranean diet is characterized by a high intake fruits, vegetables, fish, olive oil and moderate red wine intake. The Mediterranean diet- rich in antioxidants reduces the risk related to oxidation, such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
High iron levels in the body may increase oxidative stress by producing free radicals. When we look at the oxidative stress in relation to what type of iron people consume, consumption of meat and saturated fatty acids were found to increase oxidative stress.
As we previously discussed, your body best absorbs the iron from heme. However, according to the researchers, there is a link between the use of heme iron and the risk of mortality from cardiovascular diseases or certain cancers. Moreover, people who consume too much animal iron present an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, which is also influenced by oxidative stress.
Iron from heme or mostly from animal sources may be the cause of cancer. While genetic, environmental and psychological factors should simply be taken into account, you can eliminate your risk of developing digestive tract, esophagus, bowel and stomach cancers by simply reducing your meat consumption.
Iron from heme can participate in reactions that produce free radicals in your body, also binds to nytrosile group present in red meat and processed meat, producing potent carcinogens. So you are better off with a more vegan diet rich in fiber- in terms of avoiding cancer. Also high blood levels of ferritin can be an indicator of infectious diseases, chronic inflammation, risk of myocardial infarction and liver disorders.
In contrast, high consumption of non- heme iron, vegetables and vitamin C protects against oxidation. Indeed, in plants the iron is not associated with a heme: Non-heme iron is not as well absorbed as the heme iron and oxidative damage is reduced. As the non- heme iron is found in fruits and vegetables, which are also a source of antioxidants, these antioxidants may restrict the negative effects of iron on health.
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