Iron restores its color: the physiological functions of iron and the manifestations of iron excess.

89. Iron, restoring its own luster.

Iron is one of the essential trace elements for the human body. The human body contains about 5 grams of iron. It is an important component of hemoglobin and is needed by the whole body. This mineral is mainly found in red blood cells that supply oxygen to muscles. It is also a component of many enzymes and immune system compounds. The human body needs to obtain an appropriate amount of iron from food every day.

In the human body, 3% of iron exists as myoglobin, 72% as hemoglobin, and 0.2% as other compounds; the remainder is stored as reserve iron in the form of ferritin in the reticuloendothelial system of the bone marrow, spleen, and liver, accounting for 25% of the total iron content.

Physiological functions of iron

Myoglobin is composed of a globulin chain and a heme. It exists only in muscle tissue and its basic function is to store and transport oxygen in muscles.

Iron is an essential component of hemoglobin, which plays a crucial role in continuously transporting oxygen to cells and removing carbon dioxide from them. The structure of hemoglobin, consisting of four globulin bonds and four heme bonds, provides an efficient mechanism that allows it to bind to oxygen without being oxidized, playing a vital role in transporting oxygen from the lungs to the tissues.

Iron helps the body convert beta-carotene into vitamin A, synthesize collagen and purines, produce antibodies, detoxify drugs in the liver, and transport lipids from the blood. Iron also plays a significant role in the body's immune system, greatly enhancing immunity by increasing the phagocytic function of phagocytes and neutrophils, and significantly strengthening the body's resistance to infection.

Cytochromes are a series of heme compounds that play a major role in electron conduction in mitochondria and are extremely important for energy metabolism and respiration.

Symptoms of excessive iron

Increased iron intake through various pathways leads to greater iron storage in the body. If this amount exceeds a certain limit, it can be harmful. Excessive iron storage is associated with various diseases such as liver and heart disease, certain tumors, and diabetes.

The liver is the primary site of iron storage, and iron excess often affects it, making it a major target organ for iron-induced damage. Liver iron overload can lead to hepatocellular carcinoma, liver fibrosis, and even cirrhosis.

Iron participates in the formation of atherosclerosis by promoting lipid peroxidation of protein components and lipoproteins, forming oxidized LDL, and catalyzing the generation of free radicals.

Excessive iron can enhance lipid peroxidation, leading to an imbalance in the body's antioxidant and oxidative systems, causing direct damage to DNA, inducing mutations, and being associated with tumors in various organs such as the colon, liver, lungs, rectum, bladder, and esophagus.

Iron is an essential element for blood production in the human body. A daily intake of 15 milligrams of iron is recommended to maintain good health. Foods rich in iron and easily absorbed include pork blood, pork liver, duck blood, sesame seeds, soy products, black fungus, mushrooms, seaweed, kelp, and longan. Additionally, consuming iron-fortified soy sauce is also a good way to supplement iron intake.