Iron, for about half the population, may be dangerous.

JeromeBarry1

http://nautil.us/issue/67/reboot/iron-is-the-new-cholesterol

JeromeBarry1

I'll summarize: High iron is associated with many bad diseases. Regular phlebotomy, blood donation, dramatically reduces risk of those bad diseases.

There are no sources of funding for well-designed double-blind trials of any of these issues because iron is not patentable.

Honey5

Low iron is not good for you either.

Duck_Puddle

There are multiple types of iron - each of which is absorbed differently. A number of situations and substances (like calcium) also affect iron absorption. A number of situations and lifestyle factors (like working out a lot) can increase iron needs.

How much iron you’re actually absorbing and how much you need isn’t quite as simple as adding up the sides of nutrition labels.

High iron levels are probably not good.

High iron levels are probably also not a fear mongering massive epidemic.

kshama2001

Ya, when OP's complain about fatigue and low iron might be a possibility, I always suggest they supplement only in consultation with their doctor and blood work.

I'm anemic and between food and supplements have to get almost 400% of the RDA of iron daily to stay in Low Normal. I get tested yearly.

Keto_Vampire

Oversimplified to vilify iron...high hgb in particular has good evidence for increasing mortality & requires careful use of EPO based products in dialysis/CKD patients.

But can't say that fortifying food products with more iron is such a wise idea in the first place or even necessary for the general population

kshama2001

Keto_Vampire wrote: »

Oversimplified to vilify iron...high hgb in particular has good evidence for increasing mortality & requires careful use of EPO based products in dialysis/CKD patients.

But can't say that fortifying food products with more iron is such a wise idea in the first place or even necessary for the general population

Ya, I don't even count food that was fortified with iron, as I assume it is some cheap and useless form. The first two forms of iron my doctor prescribed were useless, and I don't imagine the food manufacturers are putting more effort into it.