Which cells contain iron. Human blood cells and their functions. What foods contain iron, sources of iron

Human health largely depends on the ratio of trace elements that enter the body along with food. They are also called "metals of life". Iron occupies a special place among these substances. It is interesting that men have more of this iron: on average, their blood cells contain about 2 g of iron, while women have about 1.6 g. What follows from this, in addition to the fact that women and men are different in everything, even in " body chemistry "? A simple practical conclusion: men should consume less iron than women - 8-15 mg of this element per day. Women, due to regular blood loss, need twice the daily dose of iron. But both should know which foods contain iron.

Why does man need iron?

Iron is responsible for several important functions in our body. They are not limited to the above list, but they top it in importance.

Saturation of cells with oxygen.All cells in our body need a continuous supply of oxygen. In the blood, red blood cells are engaged in this. They contain a special protein - hemoglobin, which contains iron.

Energy production.Almost all of the cells in the human body burn calories for energy. Iron is also involved in this process. With its lack in the process, failures occur, which are accompanied by weakness in the muscles and a state of general fatigue.

Participation in the work of the body's immune system.This microelement contributes to the formation of immune cells, the main task of which is to protect the body.

Iron containing foods. How to use it correctly?

Animal or plant food?

Among plant foods, there are many excellent sources of iron. A portion of some of them can provide more than 10% or even a third of the daily need for this trace element (soybeans can do this by 40%!). Plus, plant-based meals tend to be lower in calories than meat dishes.

The best sources of plant-based iron are legumes (soybeans, beans, peas) and leafy green vegetables. Certain spices (thyme, sesame), dishes made from wheat bran, whole grain flour, buckwheat, wheat groats, oatmeal and dried fruits also contain it in sufficient quantities. But…

Most iron in meat!

First, there is a higher concentration of iron in animal products.... For example, a serving of lamb, beef, or sardines contains up to 2 mg of this element, while meat from rabbit, turkey, beef and pork liver contains about 3 mg. A significant amount of iron can be obtained from fish and egg yolks.

Secondly, iron in meat is absorbed better.... And in order to increase the percentage of absorption of this microelement from plant products by the body, you should diversify your table with dishes with a high content of vitamin C and B vitamins. In other words, eat an apple with a steak and pour a salmon steak with orange sauce.

Thirdly, "meat" iron is quite resistant to heat treatment, as opposed to vegetable. Whole grains, for example, can lose about 75% of the element from their composition during the making of flour.

It is also worth noting that some of the iron can "go" into the water in which the food is boiled. So, spinach leaves boiling for three minutes lose it by almost 90%. To minimize such losses, it is advisable to shorten the cooking time of plant foods and use less water.

Surprisingly, cast iron cookware can, on the contrary, "add" iron to food. We are talking about a very scanty amount. However, the therapeutic effect of using cast iron pots has been proven by scientific research.

However, it should be borne in mind that this question is even more complicated than we think. Research in recent years has shown that consuming celery for several weeks helps restore iron balance as well as meat.

REMINDER: WHAT PRODUCTS CONTAIN IRON?

There is a lot of iron in animal products, especially "with blood": well-cooked cuts of meat, fried or boiled from very fresh beef, offal, fish and seafood (especially shrimp), poultry (especially white chicken meat).

In plant products, the most iron is found in green vegetables and legumes: soybeans, lentils, spinach, etc., tofu, sesame seeds, chickpeas, beans, olives, Swiss chard and beets, tomatoes and baked potatoes with skin, pumpkin and onions , dried mushrooms. There is a lot of iron in buckwheat porridge, fruits and berries: apples, plums, bananas, pomegranates, pears, peaches, persimmons, black currants, cranberries, blueberries, strawberries, dried fruits.

Risk of iron deficiency anemia. Iron deficiency symptoms

Children are also at risk of developing iron deficiency, especially for babies under 2 years of age and adolescents during periods of active growth of the body.

Endurance exercise can lead to a loss of 50% of iron stores if you do not take care of the daily replenishment of this element in the body. And some gastrointestinal problems (such as gastritis) prevent it from being absorbed properly.

Iron levels decrease with blood loss, in young children and during active growth, during strength training and gastrointestinal diseases.

Iron deficiency symptoms:

Tired, shortness of breath, interruptions in the work of the heart, headaches and dizziness (up to fainting), irritability, distracted attention syndrome, hypersensitivity to cold.
Decreased appetite, nausea, loose stools. With progressive anemia, there is a perverse appetite and sense of smell.
Menstrual irregularities, especially in adolescent girls.
Decreased immunity.
Cracked lips and tongue, brittle nails.

Compatibility with other nutrients

Vitamin C

The use of vitamin C in combination with iron-containing foods optimizes the absorption of the trace element by the body. Just 50 mg of this vitamin, taken from half a grapefruit, for example, can triple your iron absorption. Note that this effect extends more to the "vegetable" than to the "meat" metal of life.

Vitamin A

A lack of vitamin A can negatively affect the formation of hemoglobin, but this lack must be significant.

Copper

Copper helps to mobilize iron stores in the body for their further work in blood cells and not only. Legumes are rich in both iron and copper. Therefore, dishes made from them are best suited for quickly replenishing the reserves of these elements in the body.

Calcium

Calcium and iron compete for intestinal absorption. Therefore, with low hemoglobin, buckwheat is preferable, cooked not in milk, but in water. And without sugar (he's also a ferrum blocker).
Adequate folic acid is especially important for the absorption of iron by pregnant women.

Some foods slow down the absorption of iron in the stomach and intestines. For example, if it is deficient, you should not drink black tea and coffee after eating.

Excess iron in the human body

An excess of an element leads to no less complex consequences than its deficiency. When oversaturated with it, the skin becomes jaundiced, the work of the heart (arrhythmias) is disrupted, the liver enlarges, people feel a breakdown, dizziness, and skin pigmentation is observed.

Very rarely, an excessive amount of iron enters the human body with food, since the body itself regulates the intensity of its absorption. But special nutritional supplements and some medications can easily cause an excess of it. Therefore, they categorically cannot be used without special need and without the consent of a doctor.

The cause of excess iron may be a hereditary predisposition to excess iron accumulation. This is a fairly common disease, although it is difficult to diagnose. Such people should reduce the number of foods high in iron in their diet.

The importance of iron for maintaining human health can hardly be overestimated. Suffice it to say that this trace element is an integral part of more than 70 enzymes. The importance of iron as a biologically active substance is explained by the fact that this element is the most easily oxidized and reducible of all metals found in living nature. The total iron content in the tissues and organs of the human body is approximately 3-4 g.

Daily requirement

A person should consume about 10-20 mg gland. However, of this amount in the digestive tract, only about 10% , i.e 1-2 mg, and about the same amount of iron is excreted from the body daily.

A significant portion of this trace mineral is lost through daily exfoliating skin, hair loss, and sweating.

During exercise, the need for iron increases. So, when doing gymnastics and figure skating, a person needs about 25-35 mg iron per day, swimming will require an increase in the amount of this trace element in the daily menu up to 40 mg, Weightlifting - 35 mg, wrestling and boxing - 20-35 mg, game sports (football, hockey, volleyball, basketball) - 25-40 mg, skiing and long-distance running - up to 45 mg.

After intensive training, athletes may experience iron deficiency in the body, which manifests itself in dysfunctions of the circulatory system, changes in the skin, and disorders of the well-coordinated work of the digestive system. It should be noted that severe symptoms of iron deficiency are quite rare among professional athletes , but various forms of latent deficiency of this trace element are often found even in members of national Olympic teams in various sports. Such situations arise mainly due to the disturbed ratio between the iron supplied with food and the increasing need of the body for this element. It is not particularly difficult for a healthy person to train intensively to make up for the lack of iron - it is enough just to often choose foods rich in this trace element for cooking. In addition, preparations containing iron in an assimilable form are freely sold in pharmacies, are not considered prohibited doping and are allowed for use by all sports organizations.

Iron functions in the body

Almost 70% of all iron in the human body is part of the respiratory blood pigment, called hemoglobin. It is iron that determines the ability of this pigment to bind oxygen that has entered the lungs and carry it to all cells of the body. An interesting fact is that in the composition of hemoglobin, iron binds to oxygen 100 times more actively than in the composition of any other biologically active compound. Even this function alone is enough to appreciate the importance of iron in maintaining metabolic and energy processes. For people who regularly attend workouts in fitness clubs, and even more so for professional athletes, the presence of a sufficient amount of iron in the diet means that it is possible to fully provide all cells of the body with oxygen during exercise.

Another important biologically active compound that includes iron atoms is called myoglobin - Respiratory protein of the heart and skeletal muscles. This compound is actively involved in providing oxygen to intensively working muscles. Iron in the composition of myoglobin helps maintain the performance of muscle fibers during prolonged physical exertion, when oxygen from the blood is consumed at a very fast rate. Due to the fulfillment of its function by myoglobin, it is possible to develop and train such an important quality for an athlete as endurance.

Iron is also part of a number of enzymes that, in one way or another, participate in the processes of oxygen utilization and provide energy production.

The lack of this trace element can also be due to an increased need for it during growth, pregnancy and lactation. Sometimes iron deficiency develops when the absorption of nutrients from the intestine is disturbed, as well as after infectious diseases. However, one of the most common reasons for the development of such a pathological condition is still an unbalanced diet, in which there are no meat products in the diet and at the same time, dishes made from cereals (bread, cereals), potatoes and root vegetables are present in large quantities.

Iron deficiency leads to the development of muscle weakness and shortness of breath, dry skin, premature appearance of wrinkles, brittle nails and hair, memory impairment, excessive irritability, daytime sleepiness, and a sharp decrease in the ability to concentrate.

A person experiencing a noticeable lack of this trace element in the body, as a rule, is characterized by pallor of the skin and a tendency to dizziness and fainting.

Overdose

Excessive intake of iron in the human body is also fraught with unpleasant health consequences. At the same time, the excess of the trace element begins to accumulate in the cells of the liver, heart, pancreas, which leads to tissue damage and disruption of the physiological functions of the affected organs. This pathological condition occurs with increased absorption of iron from the digestive tract, with some hereditary diseases, as well as in the case of massive blood transfusion or uncontrolled use of iron-containing drugs.

Sources of iron in foods

The richest in iron products of animal origin. First of all, this is beef, pork, lamb, poultry, elk, rabbit.

Among plant foods, one can also distinguish some foods containing a large amount of iron: beans, peas, millet and buckwheat cereals, corn, apples, pears. If you like to cook vegetable salads, be sure to include spinach in their composition - this green culture also has a very high content of the microelement that interests us. Oddly enough, even some sweets, for example, halva and milk chocolate, can help in replenishing the iron deficiency in the human body. Nevertheless, it should be remembered that such sweet products also contain a large amount of sugar, and excessive consumption of such products, although it will positively affect the body's supply of iron, will at the same time contribute to the formation of excess body weight due to an increase in subcutaneous fat deposits. In a word, you need to know when to stop in everything.

Interaction of iron with other substances

Nutritionists have found that under the influence of ascorbic acid there is a significant increase in iron absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. Fructose, sorbitol, succinic acid also contribute to the assimilation of this trace element.

Scientists have shown that iron is much better absorbed from the digestive system into the blood in foods high in animal protein. This fact is due to the formation of easily digestible compounds of this microelement with some amino acids contained in animal food.

But foods containing soy protein inhibit the absorption of iron from the intestines. For this reason, you should, if possible, limit the number of dishes in your diet in which protein derived from soy is added (mainly various semi-finished products and sausages).

"Inveterate" lovers of tea and coffee will find it useful to know that these drinks contain a large amount of polyphenolic compounds that firmly bind to iron and prevent its absorption. That is why, when drawing up a menu for athletes, nutritionists advise after meat dishes to drink not a cup of tea or coffee, but a glass of orange or some other juice containing ascorbic acid, since this will have a beneficial effect on the absorption of iron by the cells of the digestive system.

Adequate iron in the body is important for normal functioning. This element is involved in many processes, but its main function is gas exchange. With its lack, it develops. This is a condition when the level of hemoglobin in the blood drops. Foods containing iron are indispensable for anemia. Indeed, iron is absorbed much worse from preparations. What foods should you eat to avoid anemia?

Details about iron in the human body

Iron is part of hemoglobin. Which, in turn, carries out gas exchange in the body. Binding with oxygen, hemoglobin molecules deliver it to the cells, and from there carbon dioxide is removed. Up to 70% of all iron is found in the blood.

The rest is in the liver, bone marrow, spleen.

In addition, iron is required:

for normal metabolic processes in the body;
the thyroid gland to produce hormones;
to maintain immunity;
for the synthesis of connective tissue;
some proteins and enzymes.

Iron deficiency is one of the most common causes of chronic fatigue.

Ask your question to the doctor of clinical laboratory diagnostics

Anna Ponyaeva. Graduated from the Nizhny Novgorod Medical Academy (2007-2014) and the Residency in Clinical and Laboratory Diagnostics (2014-2016).

With a low content of this element, cells cannot divide.

10 facts about iron

Reference: Iron deficiency occurs in every third person on the planet. Moreover, iron is lacking more often than any other vitamin or mineral.

Iron norms for different categories

The average daily rate of iron is 5 grams. But for different categories of people, it fluctuates.

Especially high rates for pregnant women, as part of the iron goes to the fetus. During this period, it is important to eat a sufficient amount of meat products.

Consumption rates:

In order to avoid intestinal disorders and other problems in the body, do not consume more than 40–45 mg of iron per day.

If there is a lot of iron, it negatively affects the liver. When 200 mg enters the body, general intoxication of the body is observed, and a dose of more than 7 grams is fatal.

Iron is an important trace element for human health, the value of which cannot be overestimated, since it is part of seventy enzymes that protect the cells of the body. This metal is the most important biologically active substance, which has the ability to quickly reduce and oxidize.

Iron is involved in the transport of oxygen in the blood

Iron in the human body is responsible for the "production" of hemoglobin in the blood, which normalizes the nutrition of tissues, systems and organs. This is due to improved blood circulation, which keeps the body active and healthy.

The main functions of iron in the body

Maintaining the immune system;
Increased physical activity;
Strengthening bone tissue;
Normalization of blood circulation;
Maintenance of the thyroid gland;
Maintenance and restoration of the central nervous system.

There is very little iron in the human body, but despite this, many functions are impossible without it. The main role of the mineral is the production of white (lymphocytes) and red (erythrocytes) blood cells. Lymphocytes are responsible for immunity, and red blood cells supply oxygen to the blood. See also: functions.

Iron enters the body directly from food. This mineral is found in foods of animal origin in an easily digestible form. There are also plant foods that are rich in iron, but the body is more difficult to assimilate the trace element that comes from such sources.

Iron enters the digestive tract, where gastric juice acts on it, as a result of which it is absorbed. The absorption of the trace element is carried out directly in the duodenum, as well as in the upper part of the small intestine. It is in this way that iron enters the bloodstream, where it binds to protein and, together with the bloodstream, is transferred to the necessary parts of the body.

What foods contain iron

100 grams of meat contains 2-3 mg of iron

Ascorbic acid, sorbitol, fructose and succinic acid provide better absorption of iron into the body. Soy protein, on the contrary, inhibits the absorption of this mineral, which indicates the need to exclude the product from the diet with a lack of iron in the body. Tea and coffee contain particles that negatively affect the absorption of the microelement, therefore, experienced nutritionists recommend drinking juices after eating, which favorably affects the absorption of iron by the cells of the digestive system.

Animal sources of iron

Meat products - veal, beef, pork, rabbit, turkey;
By-products - liver;
Seafood - shellfish, snails, oysters;
Fish - mackerel, pink salmon;
Egg yolk.

Plant sources of iron

Cereals - whole oatmeal, buckwheat;
Legumes - red beans;
Vegetables - beets, celery, cauliflower, tomatoes, pumpkin;
Fruits - apples, pears, apricots, grapes, figs, peaches;
Dried fruits - dried apricots, prunes, dates, raisins, pears, apples;
Berries - blackberries, blueberries, strawberries;
Walnuts.

Daily iron requirements

Only 10% of the total amount of iron that enters the body with food is absorbed. This is due to the fact that different foods containing this mineral are assimilated in different ways. With animal products, the trace element is absorbed much faster and better. The daily rate of iron is set for each person individually, which depends on his lifestyle and age.

Daily allowance for children

The child's body needs 5-15 milligrams, depending on the age group, the older the child, the more mineral he needs.

Daily rate for women

The female body, with a healthy lifestyle and good nutrition, needs 20 mg of iron. During pregnancy and in the postpartum period, the need for the mineral increases, and is 30 milligrams per day.

Daily allowance for men

The male body needs 10 to 15 milligrams of iron. The need for this microelement increases with physical exertion and the abuse of alcoholic beverages and smoking.

Lack of iron in the body

Lack of iron in the human body occurs in the following cases:

Pregnancy, growth, and lactation can also lead to iron deficiency. Mineral deficiency can develop after the transferred infectious diseases, as well as with pathological disorders of the intestinal flora.

The lack of meat products in the diet and the predominance of root crops and potatoes, leads to serious problems associated with micronutrient deficiency.

Consequences of iron deficiency

Development of muscle weakness and shortness of breath;
Dryness of the skin;
Premature appearance of wrinkles;
Brittle hair and nails;
Memory impairment;
Excessive irritability;
Drowsiness;
Decreased ability to concentrate.

People suffering from a lack of iron in the body are characterized by pallor of the skin and a tendency to fainting and frequent dizziness.

Excess iron in the body

An excess of iron in the body also leads to unpleasant consequences, since this trace element has the ability to accumulate in the internal organs of a person: heart, liver, pancreas. Such accumulation can lead to damage to the tissues of internal organs, as well as to disruption of their physiological functions.

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Overdose reasons

Increased absorption of iron by the intestines;
Some hereditary factors;
Massive blood transfusion;
Uncontrolled use of iron-containing drugs.

Iron preparations

Iron preparations - are a group of medicines that contain salts and complexes of compounds of a microelement, or its combination with other minerals. Basically, these drugs are used for the prevention and treatment of iron deficiency anemia.

Medicines containing this mineral should be prescribed by a doctor after performing the necessary tests. Taking iron supplements on your own can be very harmful to your health.

Rules for taking iron preparations

Drink with a little water;
Do not take orally with calcium preparations, tetracyclines, chloramphenicol, as well as antacids (almagel, phosphalugel, etc.);
Do not increase dosage even after skipping a dose.

Side effects from taking iron supplements are expressed in the form of skin flushing, nausea, decreased appetite, constipation or diarrhea, intestinal colic and belching. In this case, the use of drugs should be discontinued.

Particular care should be taken when taking medications for this mineral in childhood, since an overdose of iron (300 milligrams per day) can be fatal.

Currently, the following iron preparations are most popular, which have the most accurate dosage of the mineral and have a minimum of side effects on the body:

Conferon (Conferon) - Hungarian production, release of 50 capsules, each of which contains sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate - 35 mg and ferrous sulfate (II) - 250 mg (50 milligrams of elemental iron). Sodium promotes the absorption of iron into the body and increases its therapeutic effectiveness. It is prescribed for iron deficiency anemia of various etiologies.
Feracryl (Feracrylum) - contains an incomplete iron salt of polyacrylic acids. It is produced in the form of glassy fragile plates of yellow or dark brown color. It is difficult to dissolve in water. Used to form blood protein clots. It is used as a local hemostatic agent.
Ferrum Lek is an iron preparation for intravenous and intramuscular injections, produced in Yugoslavia. The calculation of the dosage of the drug is made for each patient individually.
Haemostimulinum is prescribed to stimulate bleeding and treat hypochromic anemias of various etiologies. Available in tablet form. Contains ferrous lactate in an amount of 0.246 grams.

Among the trace elements necessary for the life of our body and complete health, it is one of the most important. Without iron, the formation of hemoglobin and myoglobin - red blood cells and muscle pigment - cannot occur.

Many enzymes are also formed with the participation of iron; it is an active participant in the process of hematopoiesis and regulates the functioning of the immune system. Most of the biochemical processes in our cells involve iron; it is part of oxidative enzymes.

There are two types of iron: 2-valent and 3-valent. Foods contain 3-valent iron; when it enters the body, it becomes 2-valent - so assimilation is better.

In the human body, iron is only 0.005-0.006% of the total body weight, and 70% of all iron is in hemoglobin.

Of all the iron that we take, only 8% is absorbed and enters the bloodstream.

For example, if an adult weighs 70 kg, then only 4 g comes from iron. Hemoglobin in the body is constantly processed, and when replacing blood cells, which occurs every 4 months, is used again.

Erythrocytes regulate redox processes even when a child's brain is just beginning to develop in the womb. If at this time a pregnant woman does not have enough iron, there may be disruptions in the development of the embryo, and the birth of a defective child. So for this reason, a sufficient amount of iron is vital for pregnant women.

What foods contain iron, sources of iron

Iron is found in so many foods, and there should be no difficulty in obtaining it, however, many people experience iron deficiency.

The main sources of iron are considered to be beef and veal liver, white fish, eggs, shellfish, molasses, buckwheat, dried mushrooms, cocoa, rye and wheat.

There is a lot of iron in green vegetables and their leaves: onions, celery, parsley, tops of young radishes, turnips, carrots and mustard; lettuce, sorrel, nettle, dandelion leaves, cauliflower and white cabbage, green peas, beans, peas and lentils, cucumbers and raw tomatoes, horseradish and garlic.

Other vegetables and fruits also contain varying amounts of iron: strawberries, strawberries, quince, apricots, apples, peaches and pears; blackberries, blueberries, cherries, raspberries, currants, plums, any dried fruits; beets, pumpkin, potatoes.

Functions, significance and role of iron in the body

In the body, iron has many functions and is involved in a wide variety of processes. Respiration and full cell life are possible because the iron contained in hemoglobin helps red blood cells to better bind oxygen and deliver it to all corners of our body.

Iron can accumulate in our bodies: in the liver, spleen and bone marrow, so the body can use it when needed. With sufficient reserves of iron and normal functioning of organs and systems, iron deficiency anemia does not occur.

Iron takes part in the work of the thyroid gland, maintains a good level of immune defense - cellular and local immunity is preserved provided there is a sufficient amount of iron in the body.

The activity of enzymes that take part in the destruction and destruction of pathogenic microbes and foreign particles entering our body depends on iron - the process of phagocytosis. Phagocytes are cells that are capable of capturing and digesting everything foreign and harmful, including other destroyed cells. The ability of blood serum to protect itself from pathogenic bacteria depends on their activity.

Iron helps to remove toxins from the body, participates in regeneration processes, improves the condition of the skin, the structure of hair and nails.

Many enzymes and proteins required by our body contain iron. With its help, cholesterol metabolism and DNA synthesis are controlled, redox reactions take place, energy metabolism in cells is carried out and the process of free radical formation slows down.

A regular balanced diet can fully provide a person with the necessary amount of iron, but many people do experience a lack of it. The fact is that the absorption of iron can occur in different ways.

The iron in red meat is called "organic"; it is believed that it is absorbed better than iron from plants, which for some reason is called "inorganic". Meanwhile, iron from meat products and cereals is absorbed quite difficult, while, for example, regular consumption of celery can restore the balance of this element in the body in a few weeks.

Iron absorption in the intestine can be slowed down by the presence of phytic and oxalic acids. Vitamin C and B vitamins contribute to better absorption of iron.

In the body of young children, iron stores are small, if any, so they need to get easily digestible iron from food - otherwise their organs, tissues and blood will not be in the best condition. Unfortunately, in our time, there are more and more children, from the first years of life, suffering from anemia, decreased appetite and irritability.

Daily iron requirement

The Institute of Nutrition's guidelines for iron intake are the same for both children and adults, at 15 mg per day. However, the opinions of scientists differ, and these norms often require clarification - after all, we do not absorb all the iron that is in food.

Lack and excess of iron in the body

Any loss of blood threatens with iron deficiency: nose, kidney, ulcer bleeding, any surgery and injury. In women, among other things, a large amount of iron is lost during the "critical days", during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Lack of iron can occur when cellular respiration is impaired, which develops due to a lack of motor activity; from malnutrition and fashionable diets; Regular consumption of refined and phosphate-rich foods such as sugar, white bread and white flour baked goods, white rice, canned foods, and useless sweets.

Iron deficiency leads to anemia, severe fatigue, decreased learning ability, increased sensitivity to cold, loss of performance and endurance, muscle weakness; disruption of the thyroid gland, deformation of the nails, loss of taste, pain throughout the body and nervous disorders.

Scientists have tried to find iron compounds that can be added to food to enrich the human diet, but numerous studies have shown that the body can only absorb 5% of these supplements.

It was decided that iron is generally absorbed in very small quantities. However, when large doses of vitamin C were added to foods, iron absorption increased. If food contains a lot of calcium and sugar, then this quickly leads to iron deficiency and weakening of the immune system.

It turns out that scientists cannot yet determine exactly how much iron each of us needs. All that remains is to make sure that assimilable, organic iron is constantly supplied to our body with food.

It may seem that the problem is solved by taking iron preparations, but this is not the case: the body assimilates the natural compounds of iron, and does not perceive those synthesized artificially.

In addition, iron intolerance is often found, manifested by heartburn, diarrhea, and constipation. An excess of iron in the body is also dangerous, and it is more difficult to eliminate it than a deficiency.

Children can even experience acute poisoning caused by an overabundance of chemical iron, and too large doses can be fatal.

In adults, overdose causes inflammation in the liver, leading to the development of cancer and coronary heart disease.

Iron interaction

In order for the iron contained in foods to be absorbed, you need to add more natural vitamin C to the diet: citrus and rosehip juice, dill, parsley, green and onions, etc.

You should also know that iron from plant foods is better absorbed when we combine them with animal products. In addition, trace elements are practically not assimilated without vitamins.

Therefore, first of all, you need to eat natural products, and not refined; try to choose foods with sufficient iron content; add foods with vitamin C, B vitamins and others to them so that iron is absorbed.

The ideal combination of iron and vitamin C is found in herbs: dill, parsley, celery, etc.

Vitamin E, phosphates, calcium, zinc, copper are poorly combined with iron, and iron itself interferes with the absorption of chromium. You should also not drink iron supplements with milk, tea or coffee.

Gataulina Galina
for women's magazine website

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