Excess Iron May Harm Blood Vessels

According to lead investigator Dr Hidehiro Matsuoka, Kurume Medical School, excess iron may cause damage to the endothelium, the inner lining of blood vessels. This could lead to a hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) and heart attack.

Consuming high amounts of iron in the long term may increase the iron levels in the body. Experts recommend that people over the age of 40 should be tested regularly for high levels of iron if they also have other risk factors for heart disease such as high blood pressure or diabetes.

Excess iron raised levels of malondialdehyde, a chemical marker for oxidation and inhibited normal endothelial function. The research team then studied the effects of lowering iron blood levels in 10 smokers and discovered that the endothelial function returned to normal. The team also injected 10 healthy volunteers with high doses of iron (0.7 mg per kg body weight) and used ultrasound imaging to observe arterial wall functioning.

The study could also explain why premenopausal women have less heart disease since iron is removed from the body each month during menstruation. (Meeting of the American Heart Association’s Council for High Blood Pressure Research October 2000).

Information provided is courtesy of and compiled by the Academy of Anti-Aging Research staff, editors, and other reports.
 

High iron levels impede the action of nitric oxide, a chemical released by the endothelium, which aids in keeping blood vessels relaxed.

Unless you have iron deficiency anemia, iron supplementation is generally not recommended due to the tendency of getting iron overload. A good policy is to have your serum ferritin level checked before embarking on an iron supplement strategy.

Ferritin is an iron carrying protein and when its levels drop below 20 that is a sign of iron deficiency. Occasionally ferritin will be greater than 20 and the person still may need iron. Those with inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, will have falsely elevated ferritin levels.

Men are more prone to iron overload since women lose some iron every month through menstruation. Donating blood is an excellent way to lower iron levels if needed. Eating red meat is a good way to obtain iron from food.