Some iron terminology and basic info (xp)
Some of the things discussed in our post-op health can be a bit confusing. Iron is one of those things, IMHO. So how about a session just on iron?
What is iron?
Iron is a mineral that can be found in plants, animals, soil, air, water, meteorites, and rocks, including on the surface of the moon. Here on earth, plants absorb iron through their root systems; animals eat these plants. Humans consume these plants and animals. Many think iron is a heavy metal, which it is not. Iron is an essential micronutrient. Essential used in this way means that the body does not produce the nutrient; micronutrient means that the body only requires tiny amounts to function.
Types of iron?
There are two forms of iron - heme and nonheme. Nonheme iron primarily comes from plants and heme iron comes primarily from meat.
Nonheme iron represents the majority of iron humans consume in their diets and is the type of iron in most supplements. Nonheme iron is inorganic and is found in grains such as rice, wheat and oats. It's also found in nuts, fruits, vegetables, most iron pills, fortificants, or contaminant iron such as from water, soil or cooking utensils.
Meat, especially red meat is the best source of heme iron. Heme iron is easily absorbed by the body and the best source of iron for people who are iron deficient.
Iron terminology
Transferrin - a protein that is the major transporter of iron and ideally is saturated with 25-35% iron; when working properly, transferrin binds to iron and transports it to all tissues, vital organs, and bone marrow so that normal metabolism, DNA synthesis, and red blood cell production can take place
Ferritin - a protein that acts like a large holding vessel; contains iron that we don't presently need
Hemaglobin (hgb) - a protein that transports oxygen to the body
Hematocrit (hct) - proportion of blood volume that is occupied by red blood cells
So someone who is anemic can still have normal hemaglobin and hematicrit numbers because their ferritin is being depleted in order to maintain those counts. But if the ferritin is in the toilet and no relief comes, the hgb and hct will eventually fall as well.
Info courtesy of the Iron Disorders Institute
What is iron?
Iron is a mineral that can be found in plants, animals, soil, air, water, meteorites, and rocks, including on the surface of the moon. Here on earth, plants absorb iron through their root systems; animals eat these plants. Humans consume these plants and animals. Many think iron is a heavy metal, which it is not. Iron is an essential micronutrient. Essential used in this way means that the body does not produce the nutrient; micronutrient means that the body only requires tiny amounts to function.
Types of iron?
There are two forms of iron - heme and nonheme. Nonheme iron primarily comes from plants and heme iron comes primarily from meat.
Nonheme iron represents the majority of iron humans consume in their diets and is the type of iron in most supplements. Nonheme iron is inorganic and is found in grains such as rice, wheat and oats. It's also found in nuts, fruits, vegetables, most iron pills, fortificants, or contaminant iron such as from water, soil or cooking utensils.
Meat, especially red meat is the best source of heme iron. Heme iron is easily absorbed by the body and the best source of iron for people who are iron deficient.
Iron terminology
Transferrin - a protein that is the major transporter of iron and ideally is saturated with 25-35% iron; when working properly, transferrin binds to iron and transports it to all tissues, vital organs, and bone marrow so that normal metabolism, DNA synthesis, and red blood cell production can take place
Ferritin - a protein that acts like a large holding vessel; contains iron that we don't presently need
Hemaglobin (hgb) - a protein that transports oxygen to the body
Hematocrit (hct) - proportion of blood volume that is occupied by red blood cells
So someone who is anemic can still have normal hemaglobin and hematicrit numbers because their ferritin is being depleted in order to maintain those counts. But if the ferritin is in the toilet and no relief comes, the hgb and hct will eventually fall as well.
Info courtesy of the Iron Disorders Institute
Hey Andrea,
I know this topic is about iron but I have a question about Vit D. I tend to run low on this and I want to know what damage can be done if I can't get my levels up? Also, what symptoms if any would I have if it were to get too low?
Thanks for your help!
I know this topic is about iron but I have a question about Vit D. I tend to run low on this and I want to know what damage can be done if I can't get my levels up? Also, what symptoms if any would I have if it were to get too low?
Thanks for your help!
Life is short ~ dance like no one's watching!!
305/292/167/159
High/Surg/Curr/Goal
Ahh.. my love is vite D.
If you can't get your D up, you will be leeching calcium out of your bones because D is needed in order to keep the calcium *in* your bones. This will lead to osteomalacia (rickets) and osteoporoesis. Neither is fun.
Also, low D has been shown to have an effect on depression, fatigue, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and general well-being. So it's worth getting your numbers up.
Want Andrea's surefire way of getting your D up?
Go to vitalady.com and get 2 bottles of her 5k tender vite D capsules. Take 10 a day spread out through the course of the day for 90 days. Get your bloods checked. I guarantee you will have gone up. If you are still under 50, then do it another 90 days. If you are above 50, but below say 80, do 25k per day for 90 days and do another draw. If you are between 80-100, take 10k per day.
If you can't get your D up, you will be leeching calcium out of your bones because D is needed in order to keep the calcium *in* your bones. This will lead to osteomalacia (rickets) and osteoporoesis. Neither is fun.
Also, low D has been shown to have an effect on depression, fatigue, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and general well-being. So it's worth getting your numbers up.
Want Andrea's surefire way of getting your D up?
Go to vitalady.com and get 2 bottles of her 5k tender vite D capsules. Take 10 a day spread out through the course of the day for 90 days. Get your bloods checked. I guarantee you will have gone up. If you are still under 50, then do it another 90 days. If you are above 50, but below say 80, do 25k per day for 90 days and do another draw. If you are between 80-100, take 10k per day.
I did 3, 2, 3, 2 throughout the day.
They also have a single 50k pill, so you could do it in one fell swoop.. but I wanted more throughout the day so I would get more benefit from it. It's a water-miscible form of D. Typically, D requires fat in order to absorb. Since we malabsorb fat, standard high-dose D isn't gonna do squat for us since we would malabsorb the D as well as the fat.
Knowing that it's water-miscible (which is basically water-soluble, like the B's), anything the body cannot use *right then* will be peed out rather than stored. So if you take 50k, and your body can only use, say 25k at that given moment, you will pee out 25k. Doesn't seem helpful to me, imho.
They also have a single 50k pill, so you could do it in one fell swoop.. but I wanted more throughout the day so I would get more benefit from it. It's a water-miscible form of D. Typically, D requires fat in order to absorb. Since we malabsorb fat, standard high-dose D isn't gonna do squat for us since we would malabsorb the D as well as the fat.
Knowing that it's water-miscible (which is basically water-soluble, like the B's), anything the body cannot use *right then* will be peed out rather than stored. So if you take 50k, and your body can only use, say 25k at that given moment, you will pee out 25k. Doesn't seem helpful to me, imho.
Thanks as always for the useful info.
My hemalologist had a useful analogy for the iron.
Hemacrit and hemaglobin are the checking account of iron. Iron saturation is the savings account of iron and ferritin is the 401 k of iron.
You can't save for your 401k of iron until your checking and savings of iron are well stocked.
Belinda
My hemalologist had a useful analogy for the iron.
Hemacrit and hemaglobin are the checking account of iron. Iron saturation is the savings account of iron and ferritin is the 401 k of iron.
You can't save for your 401k of iron until your checking and savings of iron are well stocked.
Belinda
Anchor cut TT 9/27/2007
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