Iron 

Mineral: iron

IRON IS HAZARDOUS - See these additional updates on iron

Daily Value: 18 mg

Hazardous level: 25 (uncertain what maximum safe level is)

Average intake in US diet: 17.17 mg

Function: essential to red blood cell formation, carries oxygen in blood hemoglobin; found in

numerous enzymes

DOSAGE RATIONALE: may be hazardous, should only be taken by those with clear iron

requirement

Theresa O Scholl Iron status during pregnancy: setting the stage for mother and infant Am J Clin Nutr 2005 81: 1218S-1222S

…iron supplements andincreased iron stores have recently been linked to maternalcomplications (eg, gestational diabetes) and increased oxidativestress during pregnancy. Consequently, while iron supplementationmay improve pregnancy outcome when the mother is iron deficientit is also possible that prophylactic supplementation may increaserisk when the mother does not have iron deficiency or IDA…

KEY NOTES AND REFERENCES:

Curz, A., et al "Longitudinal changes in the intake of vitamins and minerals of elderly

Europeans", Eur J Clin Nutr 50: S77-85 (1996)

658 elderly men and 731 elderly women born 1913-18: "A significant decrease in the

median intake of vitamin B1, B2, B6, C or iron was observed..."

Zhang, ZF, et al "Adenocarcinomas of the esophagus and gastric cardia: the role of diet", Nutr.

Cancer 27: 298-309 (1997)

"Decreased risk...was significantly associated with high ingestion of...niacin, vitamin B6,

iron, and zinc. Higher intakes of vitamin A, beta-carotene, vitamin E, folate, phosphorus,

and potassium were associated with a decreased risk..."- decreased risk of

adenocarcinoma with higher intake of iron

Pennington, J.A.T., Young, B.E., "Total Diet study nutritional elements, 1982-1989", J Am Diet

Assoc 91: 179-83 (1991) - in national diet studies, iron intake sufficient for elderly

Frishman, R., "Aging alters mineral needs", Harvard Health Letter 21: 6 (Apr 1996)

"As scientists look more closely at aging, however, they've begun to suspect that the

mineral requirements of a person who is 75 may not be the same as those of a 55-year

old" "dietary recommendations for young and middle-aged adults - those for calcium,

magnesium, and chromium-are not appropriate for older people" "recommended intakes

of iron, zinc, copper, and selenium are probably just as appropriate for older as younger

adults." "There is no evidence that older Americans are short on [magnesium], and there

is scant reason for any healthy adult to take magnesium supplements." "[Chromium] is

another nutrient that need not be purchased."- current RDA is appropriate for elderly

WHITE PAPER REFERENCES FOR STAY WELL FORMULATIONS

Chandra, R. K., "Effect of vitamin and trace-element supplementation on immune responses and

infection in elderly subjects", Lancet 340: 1124-27 (1992)

study of 96 people, had 23 vs. 48 days of illness, recipe 400 iu retinol, 16 mg beta-

carotene, 2.2 mg thiamin, 1.5 mg riboflavin, 16 mg niacin, 3 mg B6, 400 mcg folate, 4

mcg B12, 80 mg C, 4 mcg D, 44 mg E, 16 mg Iron, 200 mg Ca, 100 mg Mg