Absorption of iron from food
Iron is one of the most important minerals in the body and its most important effect is in the formation and oxygenation of blood. Iron is the main member in the synthesis of a type of protein in red blood cells called hemoglobin. The main role of hemoglobin in the body is to transport oxygen from the lungs to all the cells of the body. If the amount of iron in your blood is low, the amount of oxygen intake in your body is reduced and this is the main cause of fatigue and weakness in doing things. Another benefit is its role in converting food into energy.
Human cells need iron to convert food into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is the main fuel of the body. Iron deficiency causes fatigue and weakness. Also, iron is necessary for the production and growth of immune cells, the lack of this substance can cause the weakness of the immune system; When your immune system is weak, the chances of contracting various diseases increase. Iron helps the cognitive function of the brain and memory, the power of concentration, as well as the power of learning and problem solving.
Having enough iron allows the brain to function properly and with full alertness without relying on substances such as caffeine. Iron helps the muscles to store oxygen and benefit from it. Also, many enzymes that help the body digest food and enter many important cells contain iron, and many functions are affected by the reduction of iron in the body. It is important to note that we should know how much iron should be stored in the body?!
How much iron should be stored in the body ?
As you know, substances in the body should always be in moderation, and whether they are too much or too little, they cause all kinds of diseases and disorders in the body’s immune system. Iron is one of the important elements, approximately 70% of which is used to make hemoglobin, which is an important substance in blood cells. In addition, it is stored in tissues under the names of Ferritin and Hemosiderin. If the proper amount of this substance is not received through dietary food, the body uses the iron reserves in the tissues and if the process of not receiving it through the diet continues, it will suffer from iron deficiency anemia, and the opposite is possible if there is too much iron. Get it, you’ll get an iron boost. Since a lot of iron is stored in the tissues, if it is regularly added to these reserves, it will damage the tissue of your liver and pancreas. Therefore, to diagnose iron-induced anemia or diseases related to high iron, the doctor requests a red blood cell count test with other tests such as Ferritin and TIBC (transplanted iron).
Usually, 65 to 70% of iron in the body is available in the form of hemoglobin, which is in the blood serum and carries out the work of transporting oxygen in the body. Iron is needed by many other cells, and in muscle cells it is present in a type of oxygen-binding protein called myoglobin at about 4%. The storage of iron is also called Ferritin, which makes up about 30% of the total iron. Iron is also stored in the liver, bone marrow and spinal cord. There is a very small percentage of iron in the form of transferrin, which is responsible for transporting iron in the blood in the structure of cellular enzymes. Free iron is very active and accelerates reactions carried out by free radicals; Therefore, it does not exist freely in body fluids.
Measurement of iron in blood
To measure iron in the blood, the iron in the blood serum is usually measured, and its normal values are as follows:
Infant: 250-100 micrograms per deciliter
Children under 7 years old: 40-100 micrograms per deciliter
Children over 7 years old: 120-50 micrograms per deciliter
Women: 170-50 micrograms per deciliter
Men: 65-175 micrograms per deciliter
The values mentioned above may change slightly depending on the measuring device. effect of nutrition on children’s intelligence
Of course, to measure the amount of iron in the body, in addition to the blood serum test, other tests such as Ferritin test or TIBC test, hematocrit, hemoglobin, mean platelet volume (MPV) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) are also used. Of course, for more specialized diagnoses, other tests may be performed depending on the opinion of the attending physician.
Application cases of blood iron test
Among the important cases of using blood serum iron test:
Differential diagnosis of anemia, especially with hypochromia or low MCV
Evaluation of thalassemia and sideroplastic anemia
In the evaluation of hemochromatosis and iron overload poisoning in dialysis patients
How to absorb iron in the body
About 10 to 20 mg of iron enters the stomach daily through diet, which is absorbed by the body as needed. Iron absorption begins in the stomach, but is mostly absorbed in the duodenum and small intestine. Its absorption in the body starts from the digestive system. The iron that enters the body can be in the form of trivalent iron or in the form of organic solutes or ferric oxide.
Three key factors are involved in iron absorption, which are:
– Stomach hydrochloric acid and acids in food that cause the release of iron from food and its release.
– Cobalamin (vitamin B12) that helps absorb iron.
– Regenerative compounds in the diet such as ascorbic acid and sulfur-containing compounds such as cysteine, which causes trivalent iron to be reduced and converted into divalent iron.
Inside the cells of the body, there is a protein called apoferritin, which is able to absorb iron equal to 23% of its weight; In this way, iron is stored in the body. Ferritin, which is the stored form of iron in the body, is seen in the intestinal mucosa, liver, spleen, kidney, and bone marrow; When it becomes saturated, the intestinal absorption of iron stops. If the body’s iron reserves are low and the body is making new blood cells, iron absorption to
The speed increases. Ascorbic acid or vitamin C increases the absorption of iron. Note that foods that are rich in phosphates reduce the amount of absorbable iron and phosphorus; Because the combination of phosphate with iron forms insoluble salts that are not absorbable.
Foods containing iron
Foods containing iron include:
white beans
Jaggergao
lentils
Dark Chocolate
Tuna
Pea
tomato juice
potato
cashew
spinach
Raisins
Beef
Pumpkin seeds
Quinoa
Broccoli
By consuming foods containing iron, you can absorb enough iron needed by your body. Of course, note that the absorption of iron is done more if it is combined with vitamin C. The intake of iron from animal sources is more and more absorbable for the body. Grapes and green tea are rich in (polyphenol) which, if consumed with a meal, reduces iron absorption.