Mineral - Iron

Iron is necessary for the production of hemoglobin (red blood corpuscles), myoglobin (red pigment in muscles), and certain enzymes.

Iron aids in growth, helps promote resistance to disease, prevents fatigue, cures and prevents iron deficiency anemia, provides good skin tone.

Copper, cobalt, manganese and vitamin c are necessary to assimilate iron and iron is necessary for proper metabolization of B vitamins.

Iron deficiency anemia is the most common nutritional deficiency disease world wide.

Symptoms of iron deficiency include short attention span, apathy, irritability, hypo activity and impaired cognitive development in children.  In the adult population symptoms include poor immunocompetance, irregular heart beat, fatigue, paleness of oral mucosal tissue, concave pale nail beds and behavioral changes. Iron absorption can be affected by tannic acid in coffee or tea as well as high dose supplements of calcium, zinc, manganese or copper.

The upper limit of safety for iron established by the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of medicine is approximately 45 mg daily for adults.

Best food sources include red meats, organ meats, shell fish, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, whole grains, nuts, dried beans and iron fortified grain products.   

Best source of iron supplements should be of a chelate.  Also inorganic iron destroys vitamin E so the two should be taken at least 8 hours apart.

Best supplement sources of iron include chelates, organic iron - ferrous gluccnate, ferrous fumerate, ferrous citrate or ferrous peptonate.

Iron supplements should be kept out of the reach of children.

Minerals are inorganic substances that the body needs in very small quantities. There are twenty two metallic elements in the body which make up about 4 percent of total body weight.

Minerals are found abundantly in the soil and water of the planet and eventually are taken in by the root systems of plants. Human beings obtain minerals by eating the plants or by eating the animals that eat the plants. If you eat a variety of meats and vegetables in your diet, you can usually depend on getting a sufficiency of minerals.

The minerals in the body play a part in variety of metabolic processes and contribute to the synthesis of such elements as glycogen, protein, and fats.

For the best sources of minerals please consult the USDA website.

DISCLAIMER: This information is not presented by a medical practitioner and is for
educational and informational purposes only.  The content is not intended to be a
substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  Always seek
the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions
you may have regarding a medical condition.  Never disregard professional medical
advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read.

Since natural and/or dietary supplements are not FDA approved they must be
accompanied by a two-part disclaimer on the product label: that the statement
has not been evaluated by FDA and that the product is not intended to "diagnose,
treat, cure or prevent any disease."
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