Iron Overload: Hemosiderosis

Women lose iron from their bodies every month in menstruation. Men, on the other hand, usually keep all their blood to themselves. Interestingly, this factor has been pointed out recently as a possible reason that men have a higher rate of heart disease -- and why postmenopausal women whose menstural cycles have stopped for other reasons also have gradually increased heart disease rates.

Iron, while it is a critical mineral that we cannot live without, can also be a poison. In excessive doses, it causes a disease called hemochromatosis, or the absorption of too much iron, which over time can turn into hemosiderosis, a disease in which deposits of iron form in the liver and other blood-friendly tissues.

Hemosiderosis causes serious tissue damage, and its symptoms mimic those of iron-deficiency anemia: apathy, lethargy, fatigue. Even hemoglobin testing may miss this problem. Unfortunately, many people take iron supplements to combat what appears to be anemia -- making hemosiderosis worse.

Iron overload is twice as prevalent in men as anemia; if you don't have a specific disease or issue that causes anemia, chances are very good that your seeming anemia symptoms actually indicate iron overload. To make matters worse, hundreds of foods are fortified with iron -- a selling point, but not a great idea healthwise for men. If you take vitamin C megadoses, you're worsening the problem; vitamin C enhances your body's absorption of iron.

Overly high iron levels, in addition to causing hemosiderosis, can cause heart disease, certain cancers (because of the ease with which unbound iron turns into a free radical), decreased levels of LDL cholesterol, and other problems.

As you can see, iron overload is a serious health issue. Fortunately, there are two simple ways to ensure it does not become a problem for you -- and one of them even helps other people.

First, decrease the amount of red meat in your diet at the same time you eliminate iron-fortified products. Men simply don't need all that iron.

Second, you can easily eliminate your iron overload while still eating tasty steaks and Cheerios by donating blood regularly. The Red Cross will happily relieve you of that iron overload every forty days or so, and you'll have the added benefit of feeling really good about how you're taking care of your health. This method has been shown to be highly effective for both men and postmenopausal women, and is undoubtedly linked to recent findings that people who give blood regularly have less heart disease.