Iron is an essential mineral necessary for many important metabolic functions in the body. It is part of hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying component of the blood. Iron not attached to the hemoglobin in red blood cells is stored in the liver, bone marrow, spleen, and muscles.

A lack of iron leads to anemia. Symptoms of anemia include severe weakness and fatigue. Pregnant women, young women during their reproductive years, and children are most prone to acquiring anemia. Both moderate and severe anemia may be caused by significant or enduring blood loss started by a bleeding ulcer, menstruation, severe trauma, surgery, or a malignant tumor. Anemia may be due to an iron-poor diet, inability to absorb dietary iron, pregnancy, and the rapid growth that takes place during infancy, early childhood, and adolescence.

Conversely, too much iron in the body can cause a condition know as hemochromatosis, which can lead to diabetes, liver damage, and skin irregularities.

Benefits of Supplementing with Iron

The most important reason to take iron as a supplement is to alleviate anemia which is caused by too little iron in the body.

In addition to anemia, iron has been used in connection with:

• Reducing the frequency of breath-holding spells (BHS) in children
• Plummer-Vinson syndrome
• Preventing cancer of the esophagus and stomach in those with this syndrome.
• Diminishing learning problems and enhancing cognition in some children and adolescents with iron deficiency.
• Increasing immunity and exercise performance
• Malaria. Although its use is limited to improving iron status, it has no apparent effect on parasite rate or density.
• May offer some modest, indirect beneficial effects in promotion of weight loss.