A question as to whether cancer and Alzheimer’s disease can be considered “ferrotoxic” diseases.
Are Iron Pills Good for You?
4.6/5 - (34 votes)
What about iron? Shorter lifespan, same lifespan, or longer lifespan?
Shorter lifespan. In fact, last summer an editorial in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute questioned whether cancer itself was a “ferrotoxic” disease, after a study showed that donating blood to rid oneself of excess iron appeared to cut cancer death rates in half. And with advanced neuroimaging techniques, iron accumulation in the brain is being increasingly linked to neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer’s.
Now if you’re pregnant, you need enough blood for two. Or, if you have iron deficiency anemia, then you may need iron supplements. But for most people, taking extra iron is a bad idea.
And in fact, that may be one reason there are higher cancer rates among meat-eaters—because they get heme iron, or “blood” iron, which our body is unable to downregulate the absorption of.
To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by veganmontreal.
Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.
- G. Edgren, O. Nyren, and M. Melbye. Cancer as a ferrotoxic disease: Are we getting hard stainless evidence? J. Natl. Cancer Inst., 100(14):976-977, 2008.
- J. M. Stankiewicz and S. D. Brass. Role of iron in neurotoxicity: A cause for concern in the elderly? Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care, 12(1):22-29, 2009.
What about iron? Shorter lifespan, same lifespan, or longer lifespan?
Shorter lifespan. In fact, last summer an editorial in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute questioned whether cancer itself was a “ferrotoxic” disease, after a study showed that donating blood to rid oneself of excess iron appeared to cut cancer death rates in half. And with advanced neuroimaging techniques, iron accumulation in the brain is being increasingly linked to neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer’s.
Now if you’re pregnant, you need enough blood for two. Or, if you have iron deficiency anemia, then you may need iron supplements. But for most people, taking extra iron is a bad idea.
And in fact, that may be one reason there are higher cancer rates among meat-eaters—because they get heme iron, or “blood” iron, which our body is unable to downregulate the absorption of.
To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by veganmontreal.
Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.
- G. Edgren, O. Nyren, and M. Melbye. Cancer as a ferrotoxic disease: Are we getting hard stainless evidence? J. Natl. Cancer Inst., 100(14):976-977, 2008.
- J. M. Stankiewicz and S. D. Brass. Role of iron in neurotoxicity: A cause for concern in the elderly? Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care, 12(1):22-29, 2009.
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Are Iron Pills Good for You?
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