RT3-Adrenals Iron

Iron is important to many body processes

• Is an essential element for the body

• Combines with copper and protein to make hemoglobin

• Hemoglobin is the component of red blood cells which transports

oxygen from lungs to all body tissues

• Needed for adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production

• ATP is required for cellular energy and proper cell function

• Low iron decreases ATP production; energy levels decrease

Iron is closely tied to thyroid

• Low levels of thyroid hormone can cause loss of iron

• Sufficient levels of thyroid hormone help the body hold onto iron

• Hypothyroid digestive issues impair absorption of iron

• Low iron reduces conversion of inactive T4 to active T3

• Low iron causes intolerance to T3-containing medication

• With low thyroid, hemoglobin and hematocrit cannot be relied on to

evaluate iron status

Iron testing discussed here

Optimal iron levels discussed here

Supplementing iron

• Test iron before supplementing

• Supplement only if blood tests show a need

• Take iron with vitamin C

• Take iron one hour after or four hours before

• other medications and supplements

• foods high in calcium

• phytates (found in whole grains with the germ)

• oxalic acid (found in high amounts in spinach, Swiss chard,

rhubarb)

• Test iron each four to five weeks while supplementing

• Discontinue iron in supplements and vitamin C five days before testing

Iron supplements are discussed here

Ferritin

• Ferritin is storage iron

• One ferritin molecule encloses up to 4,000 iron molecules

• Low levels of ferritin almost always mean low levels of iron

• Good levels of ferritin must be evaluated with other iron labs

• Ferritin can be raised by infection or inflammation

• Inflammation increases interleukin-6 which increases hepcidin

• Hepcidin blocks iron release from ferritin and intestinal absorption

Other factors affecting iron

• Deficiency may involve difficulty converting ferritin to ferrous form

• May need vitamin B12, B6, folate, copper and/or molybdenum

• Deficiency of either copper or molybdenum can cause anemia

• Iron deficiency anemia not responsive to treatment associated with

high levels of copper

• If copper elevated, molybdenum usually low

• Ceruloplasmin contains 95% of the copper in plasma

• Ceruloplasmin controls the rate of iron uptake by transferrin

• Copper depletion causes iron to accumulate in the liver because of

decrease in ceruloplasmin oxidase activity

• Copper and zinc compete for uptake

• If supplementing copper, test ceruloplasmin which must rise to

improve low iron

• Lead can bind molybdenum

• Lack of progesterone/excess estrogen can increase copper

Elevated iron levels

• Most common cause is hemochromatosis (usually hereditary)

• Causes no symptoms early in the condition

• Symptoms usually appear in middle age in men

• Symptoms usually appear after menopause in women

• Genetic testing for C282Y and H63D genes to diagnosis

• Excess iron can damage organs resulting in

• diabetes mellitus

• heart failure

• heart rhythm abnormalities

• cirrhosis of the liver

• impotence

• Tobacco and alcohol increase iron absorption

• Herbs high in iron

• Peppermint Leaves

• Comfrey Root

• Black Chohosh Root

• Chickweed

• Goldenseal Root

• Raw shellfish can contain a bacteria deadly to people with high iron

More information at www.irondisorders.org