IRON, FORMATION, DEFICIENCY, RECOMMENDATION AND IMPORTANCE

INTRODUCTION

Iron is a trace element which is needed by the body for formation of blood. The human body normally contains 3-4g of iron, more than half which is in the form of hemoglobin the red pigment in the blood.

Hemoglobin transports oxygen from lungs to tissues. About 4 percent of iron is in the form of myeoglobin, the muscle protein. Myeoglobin contains iron as does the liver-an important source during the first six months of life. The remaining 1 percent is in the form of hemecompounds that promote intracellular oxidation, 0.1 percent is combined with protein transferring in the blood plasma and 30% is stored mainly in the reticulendotelia system and liver parenchymal principally in the form of ferrin.

In 1973 iron was shown to be present in blood, in the early 19^th century, Bland developed his famous blood pill consisting of ferrous sulphate (FeSO4) and potassium carbonate (KCO3). Iron has since then been used as medicine in ancient India.

       1.1 ORIGIN OF IRON

The origin of iron is not known, a discovery of iron is known since ancient time. The trace element iron is obtained through mining.

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF IRON:

Melting point is 1538C

Density is 7.874kglm

Velocity of sound 491ms-1

Found in nature as solid and enthalpy of vaporization is 347kj

         2.0 IRON FORMATION

Iron was formed from old sedimentary rock called Banded iron”. The oldest rock formation dated around 3,800,000,000 years before present-3800MA.Banded iron are a common feature in sediments.

         The conversion concept is a result of oxygen released by photosynthetic organism’s i.e. plants, although the actual agents were likely bacteria, combining with dissolved iron in the earth’s oceans to form insoluble iron oxides. The banding is assumed to result from cyclic peak in oxygen production. It is unclear whether they were seasonal or followed some other cycle; it is assumed that initially the earth started out with a vast amount of iron dissolved in the world seas.

 Eventually as plants pump out oxygen, all the available iron in the earth ocean was precipitated out as iron oxides. The atmosphere became oxygenated. It is assumed that the rare later banded iron deposits represent unusual conditions were oxygen was depleted locally and iron rich waters could from, then come into with oxygenated water.

2.1 IRON DEFICIENCY

Although the human body conserves iron very well from old red blood cells to make hemoglobin  for new red blood cells, iron deficiency is one of the most common essential nutrient inadequacies in the United States and   around the world.  Poor iron status may be caused by inadequate dietary intake, poor absorption, parasitic infection and or medical conditions that cause internal bleeding, people who donate blood regularly, women with excessive menstrual bleeding, those who use meditations (for example antacids) that interfere with absorption, of iron, and pregnant and lactating woman may be at high risk for this element insufficiency. in addition, the elderly, vegetarians, and children often have inadequate intake of this mineral.

     Iron deficiency cause microlytic and hypo chronic anemia, a condition characterized by underdeveloped blood cell that lack hemoglobin thereby reducing the oxygen carrying capacity of the red blood cells.

People with this condition may experience a variety of symptoms including fatigue, loss of concentration, weakness, increased susceptibility to infection, hair loss, apathy, dizziness, headache, brittle nail and depression. Individuals with poor iron intake may also demonstrate an unusual eating behavior called “PICA” in which they eat unsuitable or inedible materials such as dirt, clay, laundry starch, charcoal and or lead paint chips. In children, iron deficiency is associated with learning disabilities.

USES OF IRON

   1. Iron deficiency anemia- it is the most important indication for medical iron. Iron is used to treat anemia.

   2. Prophylaxis- the amount of iron available from average diet and the absorption process in the intestine place a ceiling on iron absorption of 3mg daily. Thus iron balance is precarious in most menstruating women. Later half of pregnancy and infancy are periods when iron deficiency will developed unless medical iron is given as a supplement in these situation as well as others (chronic illness) menorrhagia, after acute blood loss etc. prophylactic use of iron is indicated.

  3. MEGALOBLASTIC ANEMIA- when brisk haemopoiesis is induced by vitamin B12 or folate therapy, iron deficiency is unmasked. The iron status of these patient should be calculated and iron given accordingly.

  4. As an astringent- ferric chloride is used in throat pain, others uses of iron is in the following medical condition.

Alcoholism

Attention deficit disorder

Colitis

Diabetes

Leukemia

Parasitic infection

Restless leg syndrome

Tuberculosis

SOURCES OF IRON

The following chart shows the food which are either excellent, very good sources of this nutrient. Next to each food name you will find the following information: the serving size of the food; the number of calories in one serving (similar to other information presented in the website, this DV is calculated for 25-50 year old healthy woman), the nutrient density rating; and the food’s world’s Healthiest foods rating. Underneath the chart is a table that summarizes how the ratings were devised. For more detailed information on our Nutrient Rating System.

Foods Ranked as quality sources of:

food	Serving size	Cals	Amount(mg)	DV(%)	Nutrient Density	World’s Healthiest food rating
Thyme,Ground	2 tsp	7.9	3.56	23.7	60.8	excellent
Cumin, seeds	1tsp	7.5	1.32	8.8	23.8	Very good
Parsley, fresh	1 0z-wt	10.2	1.76	11.7	23.3	Excellent
Basil, ground	2 tsp	7.5	1.28
Cinnamon ground	2 tsp	11.8	1.72	11.5	19.7	excellent
Oregano ground	2 tsp	9.2	1.32	8.8	19.5	Very good
Spinach, raw	1 cup	6.6	0.82	5.5	16.8	Very good
Turmeric ground	2 tsp	10.9	1.24	8.3	15.9	excellent
Pepper, black	2 tsp	10.9	1.24	8.3	15.4	Very good
Chard, boiled	1 cup	35.0	3.96	26.4	15.3	excellent
Rosemary, Romaine	2 tsp	7.3	0.64	4.3	11.9	Good
Letude,Romaine	2 cups	15.7	1.23	8.2	10.6	Very good
sage	2 tap	5.3	0.40	2.7	10.2	good
Blackstrap cane molasses	2 tsp	32.1	2.39	15.9	10.1	excellent
Peppermint leaves, fresh	1 oz-wt	19.9	1.44	9.6	9.8	Very good
Tofu, raw
Coriander, seed	2tsp	9.9	0.56	3.7	7.6	good
Dill seed	2 tsp	13.4	0.72	4.8	7.3	good
Green, mustard, boiled	1cup	21.0	0.98	6.5	6.3	Very good
Mushrooms, shitake, raw	8 0z-wt	87.2	3.59	23.9	5.6	Very good
Greens, turnip, cooked	1 cup	28.8	1.15	7.7	5.4	Very good
Tamari (soy sacue)	1 tbs	10.8	0.42	2.8	5.3	good
Green snap/string beans, boiled	1cup	43.8	1.60	10.7	4.9	Very good
Leeks, boiled	0.50	16.1	0.57	3.8	4.8	good
Kale, fresh, boiled	1 cup	36.4	1.17	7.8	4.3	Very good
Broccoli, raw	1 cup	19.9	0.62	4.1	4.2	good
Shrimp, mixed species,steamed,boiled	4 0z-wt	112.3	3.50	23.3	4.2	Very good
Brussels, boiled	1 cup	60.8	1.87	12.5	4.2	Very good
Aspbeans, cooked	1cup	43.2	1.31	8.7	4.1	Very good
Olives, ripe	1 cup	154.6	4.44	29.6	3.6	Very good
Lentils, boiled	1 cup	229.7	6.59	43.9	3.9	Very good
Pumpkin seed, dried	1.25   cup	186.7	5.16	34.4	3.7	Very good
Cabbage, raw	1 cup	22.3	0.53	3.5	3.2	good
Chili peppers, red dried	2 tsp	27.0	0.60	4.0	3.2	good
Beans, kidney, cooked	1 cup	224.8	5.20	34.7	3.1	good
Tomato, red, raw, ripe	1 cup	37.8	0.81	5.4	2.9	good
Beans, lima, cooked	1cup	216.2	4.49	29.9	2.8	good
Beans, pinto, cooked	1 cup	216.2	4.49	29.9	2.6	good
Strawberries, fresh	1 cup	43.3	0.55	3.7	1.7	good
Seeds, flax	0.25 cup	190.6	2.40	16.0	1.7	good
Potato, baked, with skin	1 cup	133.0	1.66	11.1	1.7	good
Lamb, loin roasted	4 0z-wt	229.1	2.77	18.5	1.6	good
Sunflower seeds, dried	0.25 cup	205.2	2.44	16.3	1.6	good
Carrots, raw	1cup	52.5	0.61	4.1	1.6	good
Raspberry fresh	1 cup	60.3	0.70	4.7	1.6	good
Wheat, bulgar, cooked	1 cup	151.1	1.75	11.7	1.6	good
garlic	1 0z-wt	42.2	0.48	3.2	1.5	good
Oats, whole grain flour	2 0z-wt	189.0	2.04	13.6	1.5	good
Split peas, boiled	1 cup	231.3	2.53	16.9	1.5	good
Spelt whole grain flour	2 0z-wt	189.0	2.04	13.6	1.5	good

PUBLIC HEALTH RECOMMENDATION

In 2000, the institute of Medicine at the National Academy of Sciences established an adequate intake for infants up to 6months old and recommends dietary Allowances for all other age categories. The recommendations appear below:

·         0-6 months: 27mg

·         7-12 months: 11g

·         Boys 9-13years: 8mg

·         Boys 14-18 years: 11mg

·         Girls9-13 years: 8mg

·         Girls 14-18years: 8mg

·         Men 19-30 years: 8mg

·         Men 31-50 years: 8mg

·         Men 51-70 years: 8mg

·         Women 19-30 years: 18mg

·         Women 51-70 years: 8mg

·         Women greater than 70 years: 8mg

·         Pregnant women 14-50 years: 27mg

·         Lactating women 14-18 years: 10mg

·         Lactating women 19-50 years: 9mg

Due to the fact that iron status is influenced by the type of diet consumed and by oral contraceptives (see drug- Nutrient Interaction above) the institute of medicine established additional recommendations for vegetarians and for women taking oral contraceptives. These recommendations are as follows:

·    Adult men following a vegetarian diet: 14mg

·   Adult, premenopausal women following a vegetarian diet: 33mg

·    Adolescent girls following a vegetarian diet: 26mg

·    Adolescent girls taking oral contraceptives: 11.4mg

·  Adult, premenopausal women taking oral contraceptives: 10.9mg.

Iron is transported in the blood in combination with a glycoprotein transferin. it binds ferric iron; the total plasma content of iron is 3mg.  This is recycled 10 times every day. (turnover of iron is 30gm daily).

  
It is transported into cells through attachment of transferring to specific membrane bound receptors. The complex is engulfed, released iron intracellular and return to cell surface to carry fresh loads.

The nutrient is stored in red blood cells in liver spleen, bone marrow, also in hepatocytes and myocytes as ferritin and haemosiderin. Apoferitin synthesis is regulated by iron status of the body. When it is low the iron regulating element (IRE) on MRNA is blocked. Transcription of Apoferitin is synthesized when iron store are rich. Plasma iron deceived from destruction of old red blood cells life span-120 days? From store and from intestinal absorption from a common pool that is available for erythropoiesis, to all other cells and for storage.

       Iron is tenacious conserved by the bodily excretion in adult male 0.smg, mainly as exfoliated g.1 mucosal cells. Other routes are desquamated skin, very little in urine and sweet. In menstruating woman, monthly menstrual loss may excess iron is required during pregnancy for expansion of red blood cell mass, transfer to fetus and loss during deliver totaling to about 700mg.

IMPORTANT OF IRON

About 0.004 percent of the total body weight of a person is iron; it is present in everybody cell and help to oxidize food by iron containing enzymes called cytochrome.

         Most of the bodies iron however is in the form of hemoglobin molecule which is the oxygen caring component of the red blood cells. Red blood cells pick up oxygen from the lung and distribute it throughout the body. The ability of the red blood cells to carry oxygen is attributed to the presence of iron in the hemoglobin molecule.

If we lack iron we will produce less hemoglobin and therefore supply less oxygen to our tissue.

        The element is also an important constituent of another protein called myeoglobin. Myeoblobin like hemoglobin is an oxygen carrying molecule which distributes oxygen to muscle cells especially skeletal and heart muscle.

          Iron also plays a vital role in the production of body energy, as a constituent of several enzymes including iron catalase, iron peroxide and cytochrome enzyme. It is also involved in the production of carnitine, a non-essential amino acid importance for proper utilization of fat.

EXCESSIVE IRON INTAKE

                Iron poisoning is one of the demerits of iron caused by acute ingestion of large quantities of iron containing supplement, causes nausea, vomiting damage to intestinal lining, shock and liver failure and is a leading cause of death among children.

Chronic iron overload or excessive iron storage can cause varieties of symptoms including loss of appetite, fatigue weight loss, headache, bronze or grey hue to the skin, dizziness nausea and shortness of breath. It is generally believed that symptoms of chronic iron overload occur only in people who regularly transfuse blood, take iron supplements, or in those with a genetic disorder.

Iron overload is not likely to develop from source alone, men, do not experience iron losses but are at high risk of problem associated with excessive iron. In recent years excess iron intake and storage, mostly in men, has been implicated as the recent cause of heart disease and cancer. In addition, iron has been found in increased level in the joint of patient with rheumatoid arthritis.

netic iron storage disorder called HEMACHROMATOSIS, in this condition iron is deposited throughout the body, most notably the liver, pancreases and heart, potentially causing cirrhosis, diabetes or cardiac insufficiency.

CONCLUSION
iron is import for proper health of a person especially in the aspect of strength.

                Iron deficiency result in a variety of symptoms and illness even death in children and is the commonest cause of cancer heart disease and anemia. Iron is therefore the world’s healthiest food.

REFERENCE

1.      Medical physiology by Guyton & hall.

2.     Medical pharmacology by KD Tripathy

3.     Medical encyclopedia by Britinnica student.

4.     Free encyclopedia by Wikipedia.

5.    Medical encyclopedia by US National library of Medicine and the National Institute of Health.