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| Forums: September 2011 Kickstart Forum: IRON | |||
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| sparkledee
Joined: 09/04/11 Posts: 48 |
IRON Posted Friday, September 23, 2011 at 1:36 PM I recently gave blood and my Iron level was 16. They said it was at the very high end of normal, but someone else told me it should not be above 13. Now I'm concerned about that. Where does all that Iron come from? Does being overweight contribute to a higher Iron level? Seems like everything on the Vegan list of foods is full of iron and if I continue will I be getting too much iron? I know this sounds silly, but where I live there's a mineral pool (natural hot spring)so before and after doing my water aerobics I sit in it for 10-15 min. (ooooh-aaaaaah it is sooooooo relaxing!) It does contain iron. Can I possibly be absorbing it through the skin and this affecting my iron levels? I don't even know if thats possible. LOL My multi-vitamin does not contain any iron. Dee |
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| Bugsmom
Joined: 09/13/10 Posts: 2072 |
RE: IRON Posted Friday, September 23, 2011 at 1:48 PM sparkledee wrote: I recently gave blood and my Iron level was 16. They said it was at the very high end of normal, but someone else told me it should not be above 13. Now I'm concerned about that. Where does all that Iron come from? Does being overweight contribute to a higher Iron level? Seems like everything on the Vegan list of foods is full of iron and if I continue will I be getting too much iron? I know this sounds silly, but where I live there's a mineral pool (natural hot spring)so before and after doing my water aerobics I sit in it for 10-15 min. (ooooh-aaaaaah it is sooooooo relaxing!) It does contain iron. Can I possibly be absorbing it through the skin and this affecting my iron levels? I don't even know if thats possible. LOL My multi-vitamin does not contain any iron. Dee I suppose it's possible but the more likely thing is that your drinking water has a higher than usual level of iron (if there's a natural hot spring with iron, the ground water in the area likely comes through iron-rich soil/rock). If you suspect it's the drinking water, get a filter for the tap water and see what happens after a few months. --Deb R |
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| Susan Levin
Joined: 12/26/09 Posts: 1191 |
RE: IRON Posted Friday, September 23, 2011 at 1:57 PM Hey Dee. I'm assuming you are female; sorry if I'm off there. First, if you menstruate, this will help reduce iron levels. If not, and your stores are high, then you may need to be more cautious about what you are eating. It's good you do not have iron in your multi-vitamin. IF you have high iron stores, and a healthcare professional has stated this to you, you will need to do the opposite of what we tell people to do who have low iron stores. Such opposites include NOT using an iron skillet for cooking, not using sweeteners like molasses, not coupling high-iron plant foods (such as spinach) with foods rich in vitamin C. Remember, plant iron sources tend to be better regulated by your smart body - knowing when to store and when to let go. The above "tricks" can sometimes "force" absorption when you might not need it. I have no reason to believe the following is your situation, but a common genetic disorder is called hemochromatosis. With this condition, your body stores too much iron, which is not a good thing. You can easily find out if you have this genetic disorder with a quick test. People with this disorder are closely monitored for iron overload, asked to adjust their diets accordingly, and if needed, give blood. More here: http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/hemochromatosis/#what. As for the iron bath, I've never thought about this. It makes sense to me that you would absorb those minerals. You absorb nicotine from a nicotine patch! I would consider this a possible source as well. Again, check with a professional first! Susan Levin, MS, RD |
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| sparkledee
Joined: 09/04/11 Posts: 48 |
RE: IRON Posted Friday, September 23, 2011 at 2:05 PM Yes, I'm a 54 (almost 55) year old female - post menopausal - about 1-1/2 years. I use filtered water for cooking and drinking. I appreciate the input and I am going to make an appt with my Dr just to discuss this and be sure. Dee |
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deborahjm
 Posts: 162 |
RE: IRON Posted Friday, September 23, 2011 at 2:07 PM Susan- |
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| Susan Levin
Joined: 12/26/09 Posts: 1191 |
RE: IRON Posted Friday, September 23, 2011 at 2:14 PM A testament to how common it is! I wonder how many people never know. Susan Levin, MS, RD |
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| Bugsmom
Joined: 09/13/10 Posts: 2072 |
RE: IRON Posted Friday, September 23, 2011 at 2:45 PM deborahjm wrote: Susan- I'm glad to see that you brought up hemachromatosis because I was thinking of it while I was reading this post. My grandmother and greatgrandmother both had it. It is known as the "Celtic Curse" because it is more common among people with Celtic and British ancestry. I wonder why that is. Since there are still plenty of people with Celtic and British ancestry, there may have been some advantage to this somewhere in the way back. Perhaps the ability to absorb extra iron was important due to iron deficient diets somewhere along the way. I love trying to figure out how/why our bodies do the things they do. --Deb R |
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| Susan Levin
Joined: 12/26/09 Posts: 1191 |
RE: IRON Posted Friday, September 23, 2011 at 2:49 PM It is interesting - like sickle cell anemia and malaria! Susan Levin, MS, RD |
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| sparkledee
Joined: 09/04/11 Posts: 48 |
RE: IRON Posted Friday, September 23, 2011 at 3:44 PM Susan, I just read the article on Hemochromatosis from the link you provided and called my doctors office to make an appt. Told them my Iron level and they got me in Monday morning. Perhaps there is something to this - it could explain my severe joint pain, diabetes, (liver numbers were slightly elevated 6 months ago, but have gone back to normal after losing 35 lbs). I have severe arthritis and have been trying to wean off the Etodolac as its tearing up my stomach, but I can't move without it. I just want to scream from the pain. Anyway, thanks for pointing it out. It may be nothing to do with my condition, but maybe it would explain some things. I wonder if high Iron would explain hair loss or thinning, or perhaps thats just a sympton of menopause. I am of Irish/English/Scottish heritage. Interesting! Thanks! Dee |
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| Susan Levin
Joined: 12/26/09 Posts: 1191 |
RE: IRON Posted Friday, September 23, 2011 at 4:00 PM Gosh, Dee. I hope you find an answer for the cause of the pain. Sometimes just knowing the cause is a relief. Share with us if you feel comfortable doing so next week. Susan Levin, MS, RD |
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| sparkledee
Joined: 09/04/11 Posts: 48 |
RE: IRON Posted Friday, September 23, 2011 at 6:26 PM I'll be happy to share what I find out. Just hope this Dr listens to me! I moved and started with this Dr a year or so ago and generally see him every 3-4 months for a diabetes check to go over labs. I haven't quite gotten into all the other stuff going on and he seems so pre-occupied at visits and half listens. I know he does this because he makes so many errors writing out prescriptions. I have to take them back in for corrections before mailing them off. My husband and I were planning on looking for a new Dr in our area, but you know how that goes... gets put off till you need to go, then right back to the same one. LOL I will keep you posted though. Thanks again for the help. Dee |
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