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The role of iron in the body
Iron is an important component of haemoglobin, which is the protein in the red blood cells that ensures that oxygen transport works throughout the body, not least the brain and muscles. But iron is also needed to build new red blood cells, i.e. give us new blood. If we experience a lack of red blood cells, the body’s ability to transport the important oxygen is reduced. It is then usually said that you have suffered from anemia, and symptoms of this can be:
Our main source of iron is diet. But sometimes the diet can contain too little iron to suffice. The ability to absorb iron from the diet also varies from person to person – some absorb iron well; others find it more difficult to assimilate it. Another cause is that you have lost blood, for example during menstruation or if you have had other bleeding. In this way, women, with their regular periods, are more sensitive to anemia than men. When you don’t get enough iron, the body first takes it from the stores where the iron is stored before the body uses it. But as the iron stores are depleted, the risk of anemia arises.
The first step to avoiding iron deficiency is to choose a diet that is rich in iron. In the traditional home cooking with organ and blood-based foods such as liver and black pudding, the body gets a good iron supplement. Meat, eggs and seafood also provide an iron supplement. The vegetable diet contains sources of iron in the form of nuts, seeds, whole grains and dried fruits, as well as legumes.
Different nutrients are absorbed differently efficiently by the body. Unfortunately, iron is one of the worse ones when it comes to absorption. You must therefore eat quite a lot of the right foods to be sure to get the right amount. In general, the iron found in meat, intestines and blood is easier for the body to assimilate, while the iron form in vegetarian alternatives has a harder time being absorbed. To complicate the picture further, iron absorption is affected by other substances. Vitamin C and fish can improve iron absorption, while coffee, wine, and some herbal teas can reduce the body’s absorption capacity. One consolation, however, is that the body has a clever regulator – when the iron stores are being depleted, the body increases its ability to absorb the iron from diet and supplements.
If you have ended up in a shortage situation, it is important to restore balance. But this takes some time, which is a strong reason that suggests that it is wise to keep iron levels up in the body. It is estimated that it takes about 6-12 weeks to normalize hemoglobin levels after iron deficiency. If the stores are then to be replenished so that the body has a satisfactory iron store, another 12 weeks are required. We are thus talking about a total “recovery time” of 5-6 months.
With all the knowledge we have about the important role of iron and our ability to assimilate iron, Femineral has been given a very specific composition. The iron supplement in the product is ferric sodium EDTA in the form of salt. This has a very high bio availability in the body and has additional advantages: it does not discolor teeth, has no metallic taste and minimizes stomach problems. In addition, the recipe contains copper which contributes to normal iron transport in the body, vitamin C which increases iron absorption, riboflavin contributes to the maintenance of normal red blood cells and to normal iron metabolism, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 which both contribute to normal formation of red blood cells, and folate (folic acid) which contributes to normal blood formation.
References:
Vårdguiden
Läkartidningen 11/2015
