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Why Does Body Need Iron

Iron is essential for transporting oxygen in red blood cells. It helps the body produce hemoglobin and myoglobin to carry oxygen to tissues and muscles. Without enough iron, the body becomes fatigued and immune function is compromised. Major sources of iron include meat like beef and chicken (heme iron) and fortified cereals and beans (nonheme iron). The recommended daily intake is 8 mg for adult men and 18 mg for adult women.

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80 views5 pages

Why Does Body Need Iron

Iron is essential for transporting oxygen in red blood cells. It helps the body produce hemoglobin and myoglobin to carry oxygen to tissues and muscles. Without enough iron, the body becomes fatigued and immune function is compromised. Major sources of iron include meat like beef and chicken (heme iron) and fortified cereals and beans (nonheme iron). The recommended daily intake is 8 mg for adult men and 18 mg for adult women.

Uploaded by

Latha Varughese
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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WHY DOES THE HUMAN BODY NEED IRON (Fe)

Content
 Introduction
 How does Iron help the Body
 Sources of Iron
 Problems of lack of Iron in the Body
 Conclusion

INTRODUCTION
Iron is one of the most abundant metals found on the planet Earth and it is
present as a mineral in many ores in rocks. It is a chemical element with
symbol “Fe”. Iron is essential to most life forms, including humans.
The control of this necessary but potentially toxic substance is an important
part of many aspects of human health and disease. Most of the human
body's iron is contained in red blood cells. Iron is important to many of the
proteins and enzymes that help maintain good health.

HOW DOES IRON HELP THE HUMAN BODY


The human body needs iron for oxygen transport. That oxygen is required
for the production and survival of all cells in our bodies. Human bodies
tightly regulate iron absorption and recycling. Iron is such an essential
element of human life, in fact, that humans have no physiologic regulatory
mechanism for excreting iron. Most humans prevent iron overload solely by
regulating iron absorption.
Humans also use iron in the hemoglobin of red blood cells, in order to
transport oxygen from the lungs to the tissues and to export carbon dioxide
back to the lungs. Iron is also an essential component of myoglobin to store
and diffuse oxygen in muscle cells.
Iron can also be potentially toxic. Its ability to donate and accept electrons
means that if iron is free within the cell, it can catalyze the conversion of
hydrogen peroxide into free radicals. Free radicals can cause damage to a
wide variety of cellular structures, and ultimately kill the cell. To prevent
that kind of damage, all life forms that use iron bind the iron atoms to
proteins. That allows the cells to use the benefits of iron, but also limit its
ability to do harm.
The most important group of iron-binding proteins contain the heme
molecules, all of which contain iron at their centers. Humans and most
bacteria use variants of heme to carry out redox reactions and electron
transport processes. These reactions and processes are required for
oxidative phosphorylation. That process is the principal source of energy for
human cells; without it, our cells would die.
Most of the iron in the body is hoarded and recycled by the
reticuloendothelial system, which breaks down aged red blood cells.
However, people lose a small but steady amount by sweating and by
shedding cells of the skin and the mucosal lining of the gastrointestinal tract.

(Source : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_iron_metabolism)

How do you ensure that you're getting enough iron?


Dietary iron comes in two different forms: heme and nonheme. Heme iron
comes from animal foods that contained hemoglobin; nonheme iron comes
from plants. Although nonheme iron is easier to find in the average diet,
heme iron is more easily absorbed by the body.

Some of the major sources of iron include:


Iron is an absolute requirement for most forms of life, including humans and
most bacterial species, because plants and animals all use iron; hence, iron
can be found in a wide variety of food sources.
 Chicken liver (heme iron)
 Beef (heme iron)
 Oysters, shrimp, crab, and clams (heme iron)
 Tuna and halibut (heme iron)
 Turkey and chicken (light or dark meat) (heme iron)
 Fortified cereals, breads, and oatmeal (nonheme iron)
 Soybeans, lentils, kidney beans, and other beans (nonheme iron)
 Blackstrap molasses (nonheme iron)
 Tofu (nonheme iron)
 Spinach (nonheme iron)
 Raisins (nonheme iron)
The U.S. recommended daily allowance of iron for adults is 8 milligrams per
day for men and 18 milligrams per day for women. After the age of fifty, the
USRDA is 8 milligrams per day for both men and women.

What does iron do for the body?


 Iron is an essential component in the proteins that carry oxygen through
the body. An iron deficiency can reduce oxygen delivery to the cells,
leaving a person fatigued and with a compromised immune system.
 Iron is used by the body to help regulate cell growth and cell
differentiation.
The majority of the iron in the body is found in a protein in red blood cells
that helps carry oxygen to the tissues: hemoglobin. Iron is also found in
myoglobin, a protein that helps carry oxygen to the muscles and in some
enzymes that help in biochemical reactions. Some proteins in the body store
iron for future needs (a function regulated largely by your intestines).

We need the correct amount of iron in our body because Iron is used by
blood cells to carry oxygen to all cells in the body. It helps to build a
strong immune system and release energy from food. To increase iron
intake you should eat more lean red meats such as beef and lamb.
Cereal and cereal products also contribute iron. As well as green
vegetables. Lean meats are the best supplement for iron following by
cabbage, parsley, peas, potato and sweet corn.
The following describe some of the more important roles of iron in the
body:
· Iron assists the transport of oxygen around the body
· Iron helps fights infection
· Iron is used in energy production
What Iron Does in the Body
1. Iron is a mineral used by the body in the production of red blood cells.
Specifically, iron is used in the production of hemoglobin, which is the
main protein in red blood cells. Hemoglobin carries oxygen throughout
the body, so without iron, the tissues, muscles, and other systems do
not receive adequate oxygen, and thus cannot function properly. This
leads to fatigue and poor health. An iron deficiency can also cause
shortness of breath, inability to perform physical tasks well, poor
attention, and other learning problems. A lack of iron is a condition
known as anemia.
How Iron Benefits the Body
2. If you have enough iron in your system, your muscles and bodily
systems will function as well as your level of physical fitness allows. Iron
supplements can increase energy levels and your ability to learn.
Sufficient amounts of iron in the body can help eliminate fatigue and
muscle weakness. Iron also benefits the immune system, thus people
who consume enough iron tend to have better overall health.
Who Needs Extra Iron?
3. There are several groups of people who are at risk for iron deficiencies.
Women who have not yet entered menopause are in danger of iron
deficiency. When women lose blood during their monthly menstrual
cycles, they also lose iron. If this iron is not replaced, these women will
suffer from decreased energy and performance. Supplementing their
diets with iron will increase the amount of energy and stamina they
have. Pregnant women have increased blood volume and an increased
need for oxygen in their bodies, so they also need additional iron to
keep up their energy levels. Children and teenagers also need adequate
amounts of iron. Because iron is essential in transporting oxygen
through the body in the red blood cells, it helps children to grow
correctly. Children who do not get enough iron sometimes have stunted
growth and other developmental problems. They can suffer from
learning disabilities because the brain is not receiving enough oxygen.
How Much Iron Do You Need?
4. While iron carries many benefits to the body, it is possible to have too
much of a good thing. The National Office of Dietary Supplements
recommends that adult women of childbearing years consume 18 mg of
iron per day. Men of the same age range should only consume 8 mg of
iron per day. Children between the ages of 4 and 8 should consume 10
mg of iron per day, decreasing to 8 mg when they reach 9 years of age.
Teenage boys should consume 11 mg per day, and teenage girls should
consume 15 mg. Taking in more than the recommended amount can
lead to a condition known as iron toxicity, which can cause iron build up
in the organs, leading to serious health problems. To get the most
benefit from iron in your diet, be careful to consume adequate amounts
without consuming too much.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hu man_iron_metabolism

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