![]() ![]() The illness causes a bronze tint to the skin. When the body absorbs too much iron and its iron-binding proteins are saturated, the result may be a disorder of iron overload, known as hemochromatosis. Iron overload is a condition that can develop over time, particularly in people who receive many red blood cell transfusions, such as patients with myelodysplastic syndrome, thalassemia, or sickle cell disease. Metabolic acidosis occurs due to fluid loss, dilation of the blood vessels and an anaerobic metabolism due to inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation. Iron toxicity primarily affects the liver, but other organs and the blood may also be affected. Oxidative phosphorylation and mitochondrial function can be hindered by large amounts of iron, leading to death of cells. Over time, iron can accumulate in the organs, and cause fatal damage to the liver or brain. Symptoms of iron toxicity include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain. Medical attention is required at doses greater than 40 mg/kg, and more than 60 mg/kg can be lethal.Įxcessive iron can be damaging to the gastrointestinal system. Single doses as low as 10 to 20 mg/kg can cause some symptoms of iron toxicity. Iron toxicity can be caused by taking high doses of iron supplements for prolonged periods of time, or by taking a single overdose. However, there are some situations where iron toxicity or iron overload can occur. For this reason, it is uncommon to suffer from too much iron in the diet. When iron stores are low, iron absorption increases. When the body’s iron stores are high, levels of hepcidin increase, and iron absorption decreases. ![]() The function of hepcidin is to suppress absorption of iron. The hormone hepcidin regulates the body’s balance of iron. Non-heme iron is found in both plants and animals. Heme iron is bound within a ring-shaped molecule called porphyrin. Iron is an essential mineral in the diet, and is a crucial component of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. ![]()
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