Excess Iron Is Associated With Diabetes, Obesity And Metabolic Syndrome

[sunraiser]

According to USDA food intake data, Iron intake is the highest it has been in the past 100 years. In fact, it's almost 50% higher than it was in the 60's.

Considering this extra iron is largely from "Fortification" of bread and grains (including most processed food) and supplements, it's very likely we are eating more iron than at any point in human history.

People even vaguely interested in health or in health food/lifestyle spheres aren't eating fortified foods usually though. I'm sure just as many are low in iron but are scared of replenishing due to the fearmongering nature in which iron is presented - - it's very much necessary for health. If you haven't been eating caloric abundance including fortified wheat for a long time it's entirely possible your iron is either absolutely fine or even deficient.

 

[mayweatherking]

shouldnt you check your iron level first before deciding it is bad? iron is needed in the body.

 

[tankasnowgod]

People even vaguely interested in health or in health food/lifestyle spheres aren't eating fortified foods usually though. I'm sure just as many are low in iron but are scared of replenishing due to the fearmongering nature in which iron is presented - - it's very much necessary for health. If you haven't been eating caloric abundance including fortified wheat for a long time it's entirely possible your iron is either absolutely fine or even deficient.

Well, you would have to define "usually." Many people who are health conscious will take a multivitamin, and that will often have iron in it. People who eat "Total" cereal or "Special K" often are more "health conscious," and both those cereals have a lot of added iron.

I never said Iron isn't necessary for life. In fact, no iron researcher has. On the contrary, it's always noted that iron is necessary for ALL life.... including bacteria.

And yes, before anyone undergoes an iron lowering regimen, they should verify that they do need to, in fact, lower their iron. Check Ferritin, TSAT, and Hemoglobin. Truthfully, an iron panel should be routine for almost any health checkup. But, most doctors or health panels don't even measure it.

As a side note, if anyone goes to donate blood, Hemoglobin is checked and must be above a certain number before donation.

 

[tankasnowgod]

shouldnt you check your iron level first before deciding it is bad? iron is needed in the body.

Of course. Iron should be measured before any iron lowering protocol. And of course, iron in and of itself isn't "bad," but excess iron (which is very common) is bad, and even the lab ranges are often too high. Again, this has been shown in several studies where people with so called "high normal" iron that undergo iron reduction see improvements in objective markers like insulin sensitivity, lowered cases of degenerative diseases, and subjective markers like mood and energy.

 

[managing]

People even vaguely interested in health or in health food/lifestyle spheres aren't eating fortified foods usually though. I'm sure just as many are low in iron but are scared of replenishing due to the fearmongering nature in which iron is presented - - it's very much necessary for health. If you haven't been eating caloric abundance including fortified wheat for a long time it's entirely possible your iron is either absolutely fine or even deficient.

Its not only about quantity. The "iron" with which foods are "fortified" is enormously dangerous. Iron in a little muscle meat isn't . . . so long as you don't get too much of it. And, yes, you are right that, unless you are eating it (muscle meat) all the time or have an underlying condition, you probably shouldn't worry about it. But you ought to just avoid fortified foods whenever possible.

 

[Xemnoraq]

In my opinion i would stay away from cocoa to get your copper, dont forget cocoa is absolutely loaded with iron as well and it also has a high level of heavy metals in most powders aparently, i consumed crazy amounts of cocoa and then after a while started getting all of the metal/iron related issues, my skin really took a beating from what i believe was this, however if you were to consume cocoa a few times a week for copper similar to liver i dont think thatd be an issue,

Just my opinion

 

[Xemnoraq]

Also cranberry juice i think is a very safe and successful way to lower iron and heavy metals, it takes away almost all of my brutal and horrible endotoxin gut issues, and drinking it has allowed me to be able to consume starch again without getting endotoxin shock like symptoms just thought id share i think cranberry juice is a very safe option of iron overload, theres a post here on the forum about it being effective for lowering iron

 

[Hans]

In my opinion i would stay away from cocoa to get your copper, dont forget cocoa is absolutely loaded with iron as well and it also has a high level of heavy metals in most powders aparently, i consumed crazy amounts of cocoa and then after a while started getting all of the metal/iron related issues, my skin really took a beating from what i believe was this, however if you were to consume cocoa a few times a week for copper similar to liver i dont think thatd be an issue,

Just my opinion

How much were you eating?

Also cranberry juice i think is a very safe and successful way to lower iron and heavy metals, it takes away almost all of my brutal and horrible endotoxin gut issues, and drinking it has allowed me to be able to consume starch again without getting endotoxin shock like symptoms just thought id share i think cranberry juice is a very safe option of iron overload, theres a post here on the forum about it being effective for lowering iron

Great! How much were you having and how often?

 

[Xemnoraq]

How much were you eating?

Great! How much were you having and how often?

Waaaaay too much! Id eat maybe two 95% cacao bars a day which had more than 50% daily iron intake per serving, or id make homemade chocolate from cocoa powder about 100g daily sometimes more, but with those amounts you can get an excessive amount of iron and heavy metals, i started getting crohns type symptoms where endotoxin issues went out of control and my skin started to take on this rusted look almost haha, it may be possible to get de-ironed cocoa or at least a cleaner cocoa, but mind you i was consuming crazy unphysiological amounts, however i still think foods like that were never meant to be a staple, but rather a treat or compliment in the odd times to a sound diet, just my opinion,

And for the cranberry juice i started drinking about 1L a day of the pure cranberry juice, not like the tropicana stuff, but yeah it would almost always take away my GI inflammation, increase my cognitive ability by eliminating brain fog, and ever since including it in my diet, ive finally been able to eat starch everyday after doing almost 2 years no starch because it would basically kill me, skin would turn pale and i would get the diabetic type episodes that Ray often ascociates with endotoxin and starch, im not sure if its just the cranberry juice doing this because around the same time ive been experimenting with progesterone etc. But i notice relief as soon as i drink the cranberry juice,

It would be interesting to look more into cranberries and their compounds in relation to metal chelation and endotoxin, there were a few interesting studies showing its potential against different microbes like e-coli and others both by iron removing mechanisms and its own anti-bacterial action.

 

[Bart1]

I will try the cranberry juice, I have hemochromatosis and have lots of issues right now with iron overload.

@Hans
hesperidin is also sold as a supplement to reduce iron I believe. I read it in Nate's book. But if I read this right I probably shouldn't mess with it ?

 

[Hans]

I will try the cranberry juice, I have hemochromatosis and have lots of issues right now with iron overload.

@Hans
hesperidin is also sold as a supplement to reduce iron I believe. I read it in Nate's book. But if I read this right I probably shouldn't mess with it ?

Hesperidin protects against iron overload and might aid in preventing accumulation, but I haven't found anything that it chelates iron. I'd rather go with aspirin and lactoferrin and ofc cranberry juice.

I'm not sure what you mean with that you shouldn't mess with it? Mess with the supplement or mess with things that lower iron? If I had iron overload I would definitely try to lower it. Giving blood will have the biggest effect right away.

 

[Bart1]

Hesperidin protects against iron overload and might aid in preventing accumulation, but I haven't found anything that it chelates iron. I'd rather go with aspirin and lactoferrin and ofc cranberry juice.

I'm not sure what you mean with that you shouldn't mess with it? Mess with the supplement or mess with things that lower iron? If I had iron overload I would definitely try to lower it. Giving blood will have the biggest effect right away.

I meant mess with Hesperidin as a supplement. I am using lactoferrin (recently)and aspirin in low doses and I’m donating regularly. Low thyroid and low activity probably also play a role in disrupted iron metabolism.

 

[Hans]

I meant mess with Hesperidin as a supplement. I am using lactoferrin (recently)and aspirin in low doses and I’m donating regularly. Low thyroid and low activity probably also play a role in disrupted iron metabolism.

Which markers have you tested to confirm high iron?

 

[Bart1]

Which markers have you tested to confirm high iron?

I have chronically high serum iron and saturation is always at least above 50. If I wait to long ferritin will rise. But I have to keep it under 100 by my doctor

 

[Hans]

I have chronically high serum iron and saturation is always at least above 50. If I wait to long ferritin will rise. But I have to keep it under 100 by my doctor

Do you donate blood?

 

[Bart1]

Do you donate blood?

Yes I do, I did it twice a year. But since recently, after discovering that ferritin isn't the only marker for iron overload, I do it every 2-3 months.