(03-11-11) Iron supplements cause more harm than good

by Elizabeth Walling


(NaturalNews) For the last several decades, iron supplements have been
routinely handed out like candy. Because iron is a basic requirement for cell
growth and longevity, it is often assumed that people should supplement with
extra iron. However, this faulty belief may carry serious health risks.

High Iron Linked to Heart Attack Risk and More
In one Finnish study of more than 2,000 individuals, researchers found that
stored iron was more strongly linked to heart attack risk than either high
blood pressure or high cholesterol. It is believed that women who menstruate
regularly are less likely to experience heart attacks because iron levels are
reduced by the loss of blood each month. The same line of logic explains why
men who donate blood regularly also experience fewer heart attacks.

High levels of iron are linked to more than just heart attack risk:

- One study showed that iron supplementation disrupted the balance of gut
flora in children. Children who were given iron supplements showed an increase
in harmful bacteria and a decrease in beneficial bacteria.

- Research indicates that lower levels of iron can actually be protective
against infectious disease, leukemia and lymphatic cancers.

- Other studies demonstrate that iron produces free radicals which accelerate
the aging process.

It is easy to see why high iron is a common problem these days, when you
consider that the modern diet is heavy in muscle meats and countless foods
which contain added iron. Typical staples in the American diet - such as
breads, pastas and cereals - are required by federal law to be enriched with
added iron. In addition, iron is also present in many multivitamin and mineral
supplements.

A common misconception is that anemia is directly linked to iron deficiency,
so iron supplements are often the first line of defense when anemia is
suspected. However, anemia can be caused by other factors as well, such as
reduced thyroid function and vitamin B12 deficiency. Supplementing iron in
these cases is unnecessary and can exacerbate the problem by not treating the
true underlying issue.

It is far more logical to recommend iron supplementation only when tests show
an actual deficiency in iron. Using hemoglobin or red blood cell tests to
determine iron deficiency may not only be inaccurate, but could be harmful if
iron supplementation is given when it is not needed. Even when a true iron
deficiency exists, it is safer to eat foods naturally high in iron than rely on
supplements.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.people.com/people/archiv...

http://raypeat.com/articles/article...

http://www.greenmedinfo.com/toxic-a...

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