Iron Supplement

Index

Essential for everyone’s health and present in various foods, iron must sometimes be supplemented in the form of a food supplement. The correct amount of iron in the body balances many enzymes in the body.

Iron Function

As important for the body as vitamin D and other minerals, iron has a major role in the manufacture of red blood cells ie it is responsible for 90% of the production of red blood cells . It also offers optimal oxygenation of cells throughout the body. Thanks to iron, the blood has a red color, because it carries a large amount of iron atoms in the nucleus of its cells. This is one of the main elements that must be ingested through food because the body is unable to produce or make metabolic conversion of other nutrients into iron. This mineral is present in 90% of living beings and prevents diseases by strengthening the immune system.

The vast majority of people do not have a diet compatible with the necessary and adequate amounts of iron in their daily lives. The best way to control this amount is to have a blood test to see if everything is OK and if only the food is properly supplementing the mineral. Only one type of anemic disease cannot consume iron, sickle cell anemia calls for a diet low in iron to prevent crises.

Foods Containing

A huge range of foods contains this substance so important for the body. Just having a balanced and correct diet for sufficient levels in the body. The main foods that contain a satisfactory amount of iron per serving are:

  • Grains (beans, chickpeas, lentils)
  • Red meat
  • Dark colored vegetables (cabbage, watercress, endive, arugula)
  • Chestnuts and walnuts
  • Sugar cane derivatives (brown sugar, brown sugar)
  • Açaí

Normally foods of animal origin such as milk and eggs are also important sources of iron but only they should not be consumed in order to maintain the body. These foods do not have the same iron level as those mentioned above. Beans for example, a 100g serving contains 7.1mgof iron. Which is equivalent to 10 servings of milk and eggs daily. Other foods like dark chocolate, seafood, and dark vegetables like beets, have a considerable portion of iron. However, iron from anima origin has an absorption superior to 30% of that of vegetal origin. In order to contribute to the good metabolism of iron in the body, it is recommended to eat foods rich in vitamin C after or during meals. Food such as oranges, guavas, lemon juice, pineapple and kiwi can be included as dessert or natural juices, preferably for better absorption of the nutrient.

A greater amount of iron can be added to the diet using pots made of iron to prepare the family meal. Cooking beans in a pot made of iron, considerably increases the amount already present in the grain. In addition, avoiding foods that contain calcium right after meals contributes to increased iron activity in the body. Other foods that contain fiber can also reduce the amount of iron absorbed by the body.

Absence and Excess Iron

Every extreme brings harm to the body, with iron it is no different. The most common iron deficiency among people is called anemia. It is caused by low consumption of foods rich in iron or supplementation via pills. Normally people become anemic because they do not have the ideal amount of red blood cells for the body. This deficiency ends up bringing consequences such as drowsiness, drowsiness, weakness, insomnia, low immunity, slowness in reasoning and especially pain in the legs. Women who have low iron concentrations can have their menstrual cycle changed dramatically. The hormonal lack of control appears and with it the cycle becomes unstable and even menstrual absence is established. Coincidentally women of childbearing age can mainly suffer from anemia at reproductive age and this hinders conception.

 

Excess iron can also cause problems. The ideal amount of iron in the body of a healthy adult is 40 to 160mcg, above this amount is considered the disease of excess iron, hemochromatosis. This disease brings a kind of rust to the organs with aggravating individually for each organ of the body. The consequences of this disease can lead to organ failure. The liver and pancreas where most of the enzymes ingested by the body are processed are the first to be affected by the disease. The disease also causes the hormone production dysfunction in the pituitary gland. Although it is rarer to happen than anemia, hemochromatosis brings serious problems to the body.

Iron in child nutrition is extremely important. Children who do not easily consume foods rich in iron should be instructed by their pediatricians to consume the ideal dose of the mineral for food supplements. The dosage for each organism according to age are:

Babies: From 11mg

Children: From 7 to 11mg

Adolescents: 8 to 15mg

Men: From 8 to 16mg

Women: From 8 to 18mg

Pregnant women: From 27 to 66mg

Breastfeeding women: From 12 to 21mg

In Pregnancy

It is very common to have anemia during pregnancy. Iron in pregnancy is very important for mom and baby to avoid this deficiency. It helps in the formation of the placental arteries and also contributes to the proper and perfect oxygenation of the fetus. In pregnancy, the necessary amounts of iron practically double then, the correct diet for the pregnant woman must be rich in iron levels. Iron in pregnancy is important because without adequate levels, childbirth can happen prematurely causing major disorders and risk of death for the baby.

The pregnant woman should preferably consume liver, beans and, if necessary, supplement with iron capsules. Everything indicated and monitored by the obstetrician who accompanies prenatal care. Breastfeeding women should have their iron intake doubled. All nutrients are now excreted in milk, as babies also need a considerable amount of iron for optimal growth.

Foto: Roger Smith, Julia Frost

Dr. Alexis Hart
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My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.

Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.

Dr. Alexis Hart

My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.

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