Iron is an important mineral that plays a crucial role in the human body. It is a component of the hemoglobin in red blood cells and enables it to carry oxygen from the lungs to the different organs in the body. Apart from this, it also ensures other metabolic processes like DNA synthesis and electron transport.
Iron deficiency is a serious condition that is usually treated by increasing intake of iron-rich foods or taking iron supplements. In severe cases, blood transfusion may also become essential.
However, does this mean that you should start taking iron supplements when you find yourself feeling excessively weak, tired, dizzy or have pale skin and shortness of breath?
It is a fact that even the best iron supplement should not be taken without an express direction from the physician. Moreover, it is important to take the supplement only in the prescribed dosage. This is because self-diagnosis or even taking extra tablets for ‘quicker effects’ can actually dangerous!
Indeed, doctors conduct the necessary investigations and recommend a course of medication based on the deficiencies in the body. Otherwise, taking unnecessary iron supplements or even accidental overdosing can actually lead to chronic iron overload disorders.
What is iron overload?
Iron overload is the exact opposite of an iron deficiency. This is a condition where the iron-binding proteins in the hemoglobin are saturated as there is too much iron in the body. Unfortunately, the body can excrete only small amounts of iron and the extra stock will not get absorbed by the blood cells either. It keeps floating freely around in the bloodstream and has a pro-oxidant effect in the body. This means that it ends up destroying the cells in the body.
Some of the symptoms of iron overload are chronic fatigue, nausea, joint pains, abdominal pain, hair loss, irregular heartbeat and depression. The skin tends to turn darker as well. Moreover, the excess iron will gradually get deposited in the various organs thus damaging the tissues in the liver and brain and increasing the risk of cancer and heart disease. Too much iron can lead to seizures, coma, and at very high does, the excess iron can even turn fatal.
The only treatment for iron overload is either donating blood or iron-chelation which involves removing the iron with particular drugs.
It is very important to be cautious about the risks of iron toxicity. The good news is that Iron Catch (available at www.iron-catch.com) is free from the usual iron supplement side effects. This is because it does not contain any iron at all. The supplement works to increase the body’s ability to absorb iron from the food we eat. Therefore, the body can overcome the iron deficiency and yet remains free of the potential of iron overload!