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

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  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    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.
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
    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
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    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
    Keto_Vampire Posts: 1,670 Member
    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
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    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.

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