CHRONIC ACQUIRED IRON OVERLOAD -

A DISEASE OF CIVILIZATION

by Lawrence Wilson (MD)

© October 2007, LD Wilson Consultants, Inc.

Iron is a vital mineral in the human body. Iron overload, however, is deadly. Most physicians believe it is rare and mainly hereditary. In fact, it is far more common and more dangerous than we thought possible.

Conditions in which iron can be a factor include diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease and cancer. Others include chronic infections, hair loss, hypothyroidism, hyperactive behavior, violence and many more.

A diet of red meat, white flour products, alcohol and tobacco is a sure prescription for iron overload.

THE ROLES OF IRON

Iron has three major roles in the body:

1. It helps transport oxygen to the cells from the lungs. Hemoglobin is the main iron-bearing substance in the body. It carries oxygen to all the body cells. Any problems in this system and a person becomes very tired and will die if it is not corrected. This is the single most critical function of iron in our bodies.

2. Iron is needed for energy production in every cell. Energy production requires the conversion of sugars, fats and proteins into adenosine triphosphate or ATP, the form that the body uses for all its activities and healing as well. Iron, as well as copper, are required for energy production. Low energy will result in cancer eventually in every person with iron problems.

3. Catalase Production. Catalase is an enzyme that travels around the body and picks up free oxygen atoms called free radicals. This protects the body from free radical damage, a very important function.

4. Other Roles. Iron is also involved in the sense of direction. Human beings and the animals, especially birds, use the magnetic properties of iron, manganese and other magnetic elements to navigate the globe with amazing accuracy. Small deposits of these ferrous metals in the brain are used like compasses to direct the creature on its way.

ACQUIRED OR HEREDITARY?

Recent articles in the New England Journal of Medicine and elsewhere indicate that a person may have iron overload without having either the hemochomatosis gene or other obvious reasons for the problem such as multiple blood transfusions or other obvious exposure.

In another study of heart disease, 13% of those screened had indicators of iron overload. This cannot be explained by heredity. It also correlates with findings in my own practice and that of other researchers and physicians.

IRON DEFICIENCY

Let us say a few words about iron deficiency, a much more well-known problem. This is a severe problem in certain parts of the world, especially Africa where malaria and other parasitic diseases cause blood destruction and other problems.

In America, it is found most often in poor children, those with chronic illnesses or bleeding that can deplete iron rapidly, in some menstruating women and in strict vegetarians.

In many cases of iron deficiency anemia, as it is called, the cause is not really poor iron levels. It is copper toxicity, and or biounavailable iron. This concept was presented earlier in this article. This is a most confusing aspect of “iron deficient anemia”. In fact, many physicians prescribe iron to patients who do not need it, including most menstruating women who have copper toxicity and copper biounavailability causing their anemia. This wastes their time and leads to worsening iron overload problems in these young women.

We hope that this article will bring to the attention of physicians the need to be more careful before prescribing iron pills to their patients, including those who appear to have an iron-deficiency anemia.

IRON IN THE AVERAGE DIET

There is some evidence that the average American diet includes excess iron for men but perhaps not enough for menstruating women.

High iron foods include liver, kidneys, clams, oysters, blackstrap molasses, brewer’s and torula yeast, bone meal, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, kelp and soybeans.

Low-iron foods include dairy products, eggs, meats like chicken and turkey, fish, most vegetables and fruits.

SOURCES OF IRON

1. White Flour Products. The most important single source of excess iron is refined wheat flour products. The product is labeled as wheat flour, but it means refined white flour. Only whole wheat flour really is the genuine article.

In the 1920s, it was found that animals fed a diet of white flour developed serious neurological diseases and then died. Instead of banning this product, the US Food and Drug Administration declared that most white flour products must be “enriched” with iron and a few vitamins to “correct” the problem. Unfortunately, the enrichment has created an even worse situation in many cases that results in diabetes, heart disease and cancer for millions of people.

First, “enrichment” enhances the iron content far more than is healthful. Secondly, it is “enriched” with a very poorly used and toxic form of iron. Third, the food is stripped of all its trace minerals.

Third, wheat today is very high in glutamine, an inflammatory amino acid, and often contains other irritating chemicals such as chlorine and bromine used as bleaching agents. It is a thoroughly toxic brew, found even in some “health foods”.

Fourth, the body requires minerals and will absorb whatever is available. The white flour is stripped of its trace elements, creating a nutritional deficiency condition. The iron is plentiful and thus the body absorbs more than it would if there were a natural balance of minerals in the flour.

Fifth, iron is selectively absorbed by the body. This is a vital survival mechanism because of the great importance of iron for oxygen transport in the blood. We hope this explains the deadly combination of problems with bleached, refined white flour, mistakenly labeled often as “wheat flour”.

2. Vitamin Supplements And Tonics With Iron. Doctors and health food advocates routinely prescribe iron and iron-containing potions, even when they are not indicated medically. Some prescription and a number of over-the-counter drugs also contain iron.

Prenatal vitamins are the one type of vitamin that should contain plenty of iron. Here also, however, it is usually a form of iron that is poorly utilized and toxic. Food-based iron products such as dessicated liver are much better absorbed and utilized, but these are rarely prescribed by doctors and even nutritionists.

3. Red Meat And, To A Limited Degree, All Dark-colored Foods. Red meats are excellent sources of iron. However, they can be overdone. Beef is the number one culprit here. We recommend some lamb, but never more than once or twice per week due to its iron content.

Vegetables contain less iron and less protein. This greatly reduces the availability of iron from vegetables. Lower iron intake is an important reason why some advocate a vegetarian diet.

Unfortunately, these diets tend to be deficient in other nutrients and this eventually leads to problems that are even worse than iron toxicity. For this reason we do not recommend vegetarian diets for more than a few weeks, for example for cancer patients.

Tobacco can be high in iron depending on the soil on which it is grown. Alcohol intake of any amount tends to worsen iron overload difficulties because alcohol depletes zinc, an important iron antagonist.

4. Pollution. Iron contamination of the air, water and soil is quite common, especially in iron-producing areas of the nation such as the Midwestern US and parts of California, Arizona and others as well. Industrial iron contamination may also occur anywhere.

Iron overload in shellfish and even other foods often contributes to “food poisoning”. Vegetables grown on iron-rich or iron-contaminated soils and may also contain high levels of iron. Water supplies, especially if the water is alitte yellow or orange, are a common source of excess inorganic iron. Wells should always be tested for iron contamination.

5. Occupational Exposure. Welders, solderers, electrical workers, iron and pipe workers, steel fabricators and other occupations may expose one to enormous quantities of toxic iron.

6. Congenital Iron Toxicity (excessive iron present at birth). Most children today are born with some excess iron. They may still be anemic because their iron is not all bioavailable (see the section on biounavailability).

Large amounts of white flour, red meats and vitamins with iron consumed by young women can contaminate their bodies with iron. Some is passed on through the placenta to their children, causing chronic infections, developmental delays and behavior and learning disorders among other children’s conditions.

7. Other Physical Sources. Iron cookware is a source of iron if used to cook tomatoes or other acidic foods. Rarely is this a major problem, however, if the other sources are not in the picture. Iron is common in the earth, so it can find its way into many foods grown in naturally iron-rich soil.

8. Emotional Iron Sources. Holding on to one’s anger or rage will tend to keep iron in the body. While this is not exactly a source of iron toxicity, it has the same effect.

While some anger is normal and even healthy at times, dwelling or preserving one’s anger when it is time to let it go has this effect on our bodies. Iron is hard to get rid of in part because these mental traits are hard to eliminate. As long as one holds on to them, releasing large amounts of iron is difficult, if not impossible, as the iron literally “holds together” these attitudes in the personality of the person holding on to them.

Furthermore, anger, rage, resentment and hostility, all traits associated with iron, hold human beings to the planet earth. Earth is what is known as an “iron-rich planet”. This is the reason iron is the central molecule of hemoglobin. Other molecules could be substituted and indeed are on other worlds. This may be hard to understand at first glance and will be explained in more detail at a later date.

HOW IRON DAMAGES THE BODY

1. Iron Replaces Other Vital Minerals Causing Enzyme Dysfunction. Understanding this requires knowledge of the concept of preferred minerals. It basically states that all enzymes in the body have ideally a certain mineral in each binding site that allows the enzyme to function most efficiently.

If, however, the preferred mineral is not available, the enzyme will accept a less preferred mineral in its place to allow the enzyme to function at all.

Iron replaces other vital minerals such as zinc, copper manganese, and many others in hundreds or even thousands of enzyme binding sites. This cause the enzymes to malfunction and leads to many physical and emotional symptoms.

The problem of mineral replacement is made worse by the fact that all minerals compete for absorption. Iron enjoys a selective advantage. That is, it is selectively absorbed because of its essential role in oxygen transfer. This mechanism of iron absorption definitely works against a person who is eating white flour, lots of red meat, and perhaps smokes or drinks a little alcohol, for example. Adding orange juice at breakfast makes it worse, because vitamin C enhances iron absorption greatly.

The person becomes greatly saturated with iron at the expense of other trace elements that are already deficient in the food supply.

2. Inflammation. When iron replaces other elements in the body, in addition to enzyme malfunction, the next most important problem it causes is inflammation.

This occurs because iron attracts oxygen directly to it. Then, when it contacts delicate body tissues, the singlet oxygen molecules, termed free radicals, detach and destroy body tissues. This mechanism is called oxidant damage or free radical damage, a potent cause of inflammation.

Oxidant damage contributes to many other problems as well. These include insufficient repair of the organs and tissues to meet the needs of the body. This, in turn, can cause every disorder imaginable from heart disease to cancer to hyperactive behavior.

Aging is though to be caused by oxidant damage and it may be a direct effect of iron toxicity. This is rarely diagnosed, however, unless one happens to undergo special blood tests or a liver biopsy for iron.

3. Toxic Iron Oxide. Iron oxide is a peculiar compound formed when iron combines with several atoms of oxygen at once. It is biologically useless and quite toxic as well

4. Bacterial Growth Stimulant. Due to its properties as an excellent oxygen transporter, iron tends to stimulate the growth of common bacteria. This is a significant cause for chronic infections in our population.

5. Cellular Poison (Cancer). Imbalances related to iron reduce the output of cellular energy in the body. This leads directly to cancer, which is basically a parasite on the human body. It uses an inferior energy generating system based on direct conversion of sugar to energy without the many intermediary steps associated with the Krebs and glycolysis cycles.

Iron Synergists. Certain substances and situations favor iron accumulation and absorption. These invariably make iron poisoning worse.

For example, vitamin C and other acidic substances like tomatoes can increase iron absorption. Copper can be an iron synergist as well, although it is also an iron antagonist in the intestinal tract. This means it competes with iron for absorption in the intestines.

Copper can build up in the body to mask the presence of iron. This often occurs and is revealed on some hair tissue mineral analyses.

Other iron synergists would include white flour products for a variety of reasons other than their iron content. For example, any mineral-deficient food will enhance absorption of iron if iron is present in the diet, as it often is.

Other iron synergists are stress, anger, frustration, resentment, hostility, fear and other such negative emotions. The mechanisms for this are more complex and beyond the scope of this article. See the section on iron in the hair tissue analyses for some elaboration of this topic.

ORGAN AND TISSUE EFFECTS OF IRON

We have discussed the major types of damage caused by iron excess. Each of these mechanisms affects all the organs and tissues of the body. Thus the damage done by iron and other toxic metals with similar properties is very complex and comprehensive. However, some organs and tissues are damaged more extensively than others by iron.

This brings us to another important concept, that of target organs for minerals. Each mineral, including of course iron, has organs that resonate with the mineral better, while others resonate poorly and are more easily damaged by what we may call the energy of the mineral itself.

For example, all organs and tissues are affected by generalized inflammation. The manifestation symptomatically will vary, however, depending on the function or functions of the particular organ or tissue and upon its resonance or its generalized response to the presence of excessive iron. Normal amounts of iron are well-tolerated.

The organs most affected by iron are the pancreas, liver, intestines and joints. This is not so much because the mineral deposits there. In fact, more iron is in the liver than elsewhere, but so are many other minerals deposited there. It is more about the resonance or response of the organ to the energy or structure, more properly, of the iron molecule or combinations that iron forms with oxygen and other elements.

The same principle is true of mineral replacement by iron, with some organs more affected than others, although all are eventually affected.

The liver can be saturated with iron, and in Chinese medicine the liver is the seat of iron. It is associated with an attitude of anger and rage. Indeed, iron accumulates in the amygdala, a part of the brain associated with anger and rage.

However, it can accumulate everywhere in the brain and is certainly one cause of dementia related to aging, since iron accumulates with age, as a general rule. As it does so, it replaces other vital minerals such as chromium, molybdenum, selenium, germanium and others in vital organs, glands and tissues.

The heart and arteries are targeted more in hemochromatosis and hemosiderosis. However, these diseases are somewhat different from what we are calling chronic acquired iron overload due to diet and lifestyle.

SYMPTOMS AND CONDITIONS OF IRON OVERLOAD

These are numerous, too numerous to list, in fact, for the reasons given above. However, let us mention the most important of these as they will serve as a guide for other researchers to investigate. In fact, this entire article is designed to spur investigation of problems associated with iron.

Physical Ailments Associated With Iron.

1) Diabetes. This is known in the medical literature and is sometimes referred to as bronze diabetes. However, we feel that researchers will learn that more than this is due to iron overload, in subtle ways. Iron replaces many minerals that can give rise to symptoms of diabetes.

2. Cancer. This is another subtle situation in which researchers will find, we believe, that many cases of cancer are indirectly caused by or related to iron overload from non-hereditary causes.

3. Nervous System Diseases. These may include Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and bevavioral abnormalities, including violence, anti-social behavior, ADHD, autistic characteristics and other.

4. Hypertension And All Cardiac Conditions. Iron has an ability to enhance the hardness of the arteries, as does cadmium. So the blood pressure rises, without any obvious cause. Arrythmias, congestive heart failure, cardiac stenosis, cardiomyopathy and others are included in the list of cardiac difficulties that are known to occur with hemosiderosis and hemochromatosis and can occur with acquired iron overload as well.

5. Kidney Problems of Many Types. Iron can accumulate in various organs, causing difficulties with the kidneys, in particular.

6. Inflammatory Symptoms. These include a wide range of disorders and syndromes, ranging from rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and Sjogren’s syndrome to lupus, myelination diseases such as multiple sclerosis and others.

It may also include milder, minor forms of inflammation such as random aches and pains, premenstrual syndrome, headache syndromes and so many other inflammatory conditions that may occur in children and adults.

IRON AND HAIR TISSUE MINERAL ANALYSIS

Hair tissue mineral analysis is amazingly good at identifying an iron imbalance such as biounavailable and toxic iron. Here are the main indicators:

1. HIGH ALUMINUM. This is the major indicator. Whenever aluminum is greater than about 0.02 parts per million or 0.2 mg%, iron toxicity is present, in our experience. It may not be revealed in the iron reading at all.

2. HIGH MANGANESE. When manganese is greater than about 0.06 in the hair tissue, iron toxicity with biounavailable iron is almost always present. This is as good or better than the correlation with elevated aluminum.

3. HIGH HIDDEN OR OBVIOUS COPPER. This means that when the copper reading on the hair chart is over about 2.6 mg% or when several indicators of hidden copper are present (see copper article), iron is usually elevated. This is not quite as reliable as the first two criteria.

4. HIGH MERCURY. A mercury reading of 0.04 mg% or greater on a properly performed hair tissue mineral analysis in which the lab does not wash the hair, is a fairly good indicator of elevated iron in the body.

5. HIGH LEAD. When lead is greater than about 0.9 mg%, there is an excellent chance that iron is elevated in the body tissues, though not necessarily in the hair. This is not as good, however, as the aluminum correlation.

Ideal Values. The ideal iron level in the hair should probably be around 1.9 mg% or 19 parts per million in an unwashed hair sample. This fact is important because often people just read the level as low, high or normal. It is important to actually review the level, not just whether it seems low, normal or high.

BIOUNAVAILABLE IRON

This term means that iron is present somewhere in the body but is unable to be utilized properly. Iron is called biounavailable:

1) If it cannot be bound properly. Iron must be bound to a protein molecule such as ferritin, metallothionein or other, if it is to be transported properly throughout the body. If it is not bound correctly, it builds up in the tissues and cannot be utilized in many chemical reactions.

2) If it is in a form that cannot be used. For example, iron can have a valence of +2, +3, or under rare circumstances, +4. It must be in the correct form to be used properly. Copper, manganese and other minerals are involved in the conversion of iron, for example from the ferrous, or +2 form to the ferric or +3.

3) Other complex biochemical reasons. For example, iron may be so bound up with other protein carriers that it cannot be freed up for utilization in other areas. Chelating agents do just that for therapeutic purposes. However, it can happen for other reasons as well that are pathological.

4) Iron may be biounavailable if it cannot be absorbed. This occurs with some malabsorption syndromes that affect the upper intestinal area where iron is mainly absorbed. This subject is huge and beyond the scope of this article. For example, if one eats a lot of manganese in a food or even a vitamin pill, it will inhibit the absorption of iron to some degree. This makes the iron less bioavailable that is in the food or drink. Eating iron with protein or vitamin C, for example, increases its bioavailability by increasing its rate of absorption.

Stomach ulcers can decrease iron by causing bleeding. This is not quite the same but along the same lines. The subject of absorption of minerals is very, very important for health and healing. For example, eating just one food at a meal, or taking a digestive enzyme, can greatly enhance the absorption of iron and any other substance by reducing competition for the minerals or enhancing digestive capacity to, for instance, breake down the fiber in meat or vegetables. This is why we so often recommend digestive aids and simplified meals. Overeating can greatly reduce iron bioavailability by overwhelming the digestive capacity and blocking absorption by overstimulating the absorptive mechanisms.

This is a vital concept to understand. Otherwise the practitioner will be confused, as some patients have signs and/or symptoms of too much iron while at the same time they and others may show signs and/or symptoms of deficiency. Tests for iron such as TIBC, ferritin and the hair analysis may also be totally confused if one does not understand bioavailability.

Biounavailability may cause the iron levels on hair tissue mineral tests and even blood tests to appear low when they are really normal or even high. Please remember this well.

Iron Effects On A Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis. Iron irritates the adrenal glands, pushing up the sodium readings on hair tissue mineral analyses that are performed without washing the hair at the laboratory.

IRON ELIMINATION METHODS

Iron is difficult for the human body to eliminate. This is partly the case because iron is so essential for the blood. The body conserves iron carefully, rather than risk excreting too much. Humans often had to survive on low-iron vegetable diets for months, so iron conservation was essential.

Today we have the opposite situation in many parts of the world. White flour in enormous amounts, along with red meat and iron-rich vegetables are in abundance in most developed nations. Also, excessive iron in the air and water supplies are common. Before discussing therapeutic methods of iron elimination, let us mention methods used in nature.

Natural Elimination Of Iron. Menstruation is the major way iron removal occurs naturally in any large quantity. Menstruating women in fact gain some protection from the ravages of iron toxicity and this is one reason women may live longer than men.

On occasion a tumor forms that contains either solid iron particles or liquid that contains iron. This will appear as pathology to a medical doctor, but may in fact be a healing process. Removal may be best if the body is unable to drain and eliminate the tumor by itself.

Therapeutic Methods For Iron Elimination:

1. Reduce Iron Exposure. This may sound obvious, but it is usually overlooked by those who care for iron-toxic patients. The diet should be restricted with elimination or drastic reduction of white flour products with iron, red meats, dark greens for a time, and perhaps foods such as molasses and red beets. Vitamin preparations and even prescription medications need to be checked carefully for iron content. Avoid iron cookware and check the iron content of the drinking water, especially if well water is used for drinking. Other, less common exposures include one’s occupation, colored inks, air pollution and others listed earlier in this paper.

2. Bloodletting. Leeches or phlebotomy (removing blood by intravenous needle) have been and are presently used commonly to reduce iron levels in cases of polycythemia and other disorders involving excessive iron.

These methods work excellently for removing iron. The advantages of this method are it is very fast (too fast) and it is relatively easy for the patient.

On the subject of bloodletting, it is, perhaps, no coincidence that those who give blood often live longer than those who receive many blood transfusions, a very dangerous pattern of medicine that needs to change. The problem with receiving blood, however, is not so much the iron, which is often needed, as infections that are blood-borne and hard to detect at the blood bank.

Adverse effects of bloodletting include:

1) Fatigue and weakness temporarily, at least.

2) Depletion, possibly, of many other nutrients besides iron. This is potentially a very devastating side effect in some cases of iron excess that can worsen the iron condition.

3) Masking of the real problem, since bloodletting does not address deeper causes of iron toxicity. In other words, this method does not restore true health.

4) Subtle defects in the body may show up with repeated bloodletting, as the blood carries much more than just minerals. Removing blood on a frequent basis carries other subtle risks for this reason.

2. Chelating Drugs. Iron chelators such as deferoxamie, penecillamine or even EDTA to some degree will remove some iron. Advantages of this method are ease and safety, relatively, of these methods in comparison with bloodletting. Problems with drug chelators are that other vital minerals and other substances may be removed, toxicity of the substance itself, especially if administered improperly, and not addressing the underlying causes.

Chelation may in fact address some causes if it is able to remove lead, cadmium and other toxic metals. However, chelation can also worsen mineral imbalances in some people, especially those with low tissue calcium or magnesium or zinc levels.

3. Natural Chelating Agents. These include green tea extract, a very interesting supplement. One can drink green tea, but it is not as effective as the extract that contains concentrated polyphenols and tannins. These tend to absorb iron and prevent its absorption into the body. It can also extract some iron from the intestinal walls. Four to ten capsules daily are neede, each with a polyphenol content of about 300 mg at least, according to Disease Prevention And Treatment, published by the Life Extension Foundation, 3^rd edition.

Another chelator is vitamin C, except for the difficulty that vitamin C enhances iron absorption, so is less useful unless given intravenously. Another substance used is phytic acid found in some grains or in preparations such as IP-6. This natural method works by inhibiting absorption of iron from the intestine. It does not remove most stored iron, however, but will do some good. As an aside, bread is cooked by baking because adding the yeast and other ingredients and baking the flour destroys the phytic acid in the wheat. This is an important reason why bread should be baked and not eaten in an unleavened state.

Advantages of this method are low toxicity, with the exception of the IP-6, a powerful chelating agent, for which reason we prefer to call it a drug as it can remove much more than iron (such as zinc), causing deficiencies and gravely upsetting body chemistry in some individuals. It needs to be used with care.

Other problems with the natural chelators is they do not address the causes, as with the other methods. They just lower iron, which is only one aspect of the problem.

4. Iron Antagonists. Certain food items and nutritional supplements can help reduce 1) iron absorption, 2) iron uptake by the cells or 3) help eliminate more iron through mechanisms other than chelation.

Above we discussed phytic acid, for example, a chemical that can inhibit iron aborption. Others are molybdenum, copper, zinc, manganese and other trace minerals as well.

Supplementing with these minerals, in foods or pill forms, can help reduce iron absorption and can even help the body eliminate some iron.

Food sources of antagonists often work best. Of course, the foods must not be high in iron as well, as is the case with meats, for example. Red meats are high in zinc and copper, but also high in iron. White meats are better, such as chicken, as it has less iron and still has some zinc and a little copper.

Sulfur is a potent iron antagonist, especially from meats. This mineral can help eliminate some iron through a type of chelation process, though not identical to the use of the chelating agents. Sulfur, selenium and other nutrients also help the liver process all toxic amounts of metals, including iron.

Products to support the liver and kidneys can also help the body remove iron. These include herbs such as milk thistle, dandelion root and many others.

Pancreatic enzymes can also be helpful to assist the body to produce plenty of bile to help eliminate iron.

The skin is another route to help the body remove iron. This is discussed at length in the Sauna Therapy book and article on www.drlwilson.com.

Finally, a program combining all the above is the finest way to eliminate iron, in our view. These are properly called nutritional balancing programs, as they combine six or seven methods at once for a synergistic approach that is the most powerful and safest method by far.

Nutritional Balancing Programs Based On Hair Mineral Analysis. These programs combine six or seven methods of eliminating iron at once. Here are the basic components of this type of program:

1) Diet. Iron toxicity is often largely caused by dietary imbalances. The diet must:

a) Exclude white flour and most red meat except perhaps a little lamb once a week at most. Other restrictions for iron are usually not needed, except perhaps to avoid molasses, red beets or other very high-iron foods or using a lot of iron cookware.

b) The metabolic type diet, according to a properly performed hair mineral analysis. This is vital in some cases.

c) Eliminate sugars, including fruit juices, which upset blood sugar and worsen health as a result.

d) Eliminate excitotoxins, including MSG, aspartame and other chemical additives found in many prepared foods.

e) Eliminate other foods that are refined, such as all white rice, white sugars and refined flour, even if it is not enriched with iron.

2) Rest And A Healthful, Low-Stress Lifestyle. Rest, stress reduction and releasing negative emotions are essential for the best results.

Emotions such as anger, rage and resentment greatly increases iron retention in some individuals. The body seeks to maintain adequate adrenal activity by retaining iron and manganese, among other minerals. These, in fact, can irritate weak adrenal glands, which keeps the adrenals pumping out hormones when they would prefer rest.

3) Reduce The Activity Of The Sympathetic Nervous System. The sympathetic nervous system inhibits proper digestion, proper elimination and many other vital body functions. It is a fight-or-flight response that millions of people are caught in.

We help reduce sympathetic nervous activity with sauna therapy and the use of foods and nutrients that relax the nervous system. This includes the avoidance of all stimulants and refined sugars (including most fruit and juices). Fruit should be limited as most of it contains excessive sugars and often pesticide residues. Also, excitotoxins are dangerous for the person with iron toxicity. These include chemicals that stimulate the sympathetic system such as caffeine, MSG and aspartame (also called Equal or Nutrasweet).

Supplements such as calcium/magnesium, zinc, copper, ox bile and pancreatin have a parasympathetic effect.

Other methods to reduce sympathetic nervous activity include meditation, relaxation, rest with daily naps, and other lifestyle modifications designed to relax a person.

4) Balance the oxidation rate, as revealed on a properly performed hair tissue mineral analysis. This is most important because this balancing, done with foods, nutrients, lifestyle changes and some basic detoxification procedures, will increase the efficiency of energy production. Increased cellular or adaptive energy can assist every healing process. This balancing process is unique to this program. The other components can be used without the balancing, but the program will not be as effective.

5) Assist the Eliminative Organs. As described above, any method that assists the liver, kidneys, bowels and skin will help remove iron, as well as all other toxic substances in the body.

Many methods are available to do this. We use saunas, coffee enemas, herbs such as milk thistle, black radish, dandelion, uva ursi and many others that are found in combinations for these organs.

We also use relaxation, foot reflexology, and acupressure or acupuncture could be used. Many other methods may also help, such as healing machines, the Chi machine, foot baths, compresses, hot and cold treatments and so many others.

6. Support The Sodium Level. It is beyond the scope of this article to discuss all the wonderful aspects of balancing body chemistry that can be done with a properly performed and interpreted hair tissue mineral analysis. However, for removing iron in particular, one aspect shines forth. This is to support and enhance the sodium, particularly a low hair sodium level. This permits the body to excrete much more iron.

To accomplish this, we use appropriate amounts of protein foods and avoid excessive amounts of fats and oils in the diet. We also avoid sugars in all forms, as these stress the adrenal glands.

We also recommend appropriate dosages of the following minerals: manganese, chromium, selenium and zinc. Vitamins are less critical and may include the B-complex, C, E, A and D. Protomorphogens or freeze-dried glandular extracts may include adrenal, thyroid, thymus and others.

Kelp and even digestive aids are also often useful. This science is discussed in other articles on this website. the sodium level on a properly performed hair tissue mineral analysis is also excellent to help the body remove iron. This is done with substances including vitamins A, B, C,

7) Iron Antagonists. These have been discussed above and include minerals such as zinc, selenium, sulfur, manganese and other nutrients. Hair analysis, when interpreted according to the method of Dr. Paul Eck, can carefully guide us in giving antagonists that do not worsen the balance of the body chemistry. This is quite important for this nutritional regimen.

8) Chelators. We do not use synthesized chelators such as EDTA, deferoxamine or IP-6. They may be used, but we feel they are unnecessary.

In contrast, vitamin C and sulfur-bearing amino acids such as L-taurine, L-cysteine and L-methionine may be used at times. Related products such as ALA (alpha lipoic acid), NAC (N-acetyl cysteine) and others may also be used to help reduce the iron load although they are rarely needed.

We also make sure to provide these in a way to avoid unbalancing the oxidation rate, as this will slow or even stop progress rather than enhancing it.

9) Digestive Assistance. Most people have very inadequate digestion that impairs healing greatly. With iron toxicity, absorbing vital minerals to compete with and replace iron is essential.

The digestive aid we like best is pancreatin with ox bile. This product is also very parasympathetic in its effects. I addition, it protects somewhat against the development of cancer, one of the side effects, so to speak, or iron toxicity. The reason is that pancreatin can help digest the coating on cancer cells, rendering them susceptible to removal by white blood cells.

Another reason we like pancreatin is other nutrients it contains. While subtle, these aid the healing process. Also, pancreatin digests foreign proteins in the intestines, including some parasites and yeasts. These are very common in iron-toxic people.

NUTRITIONAL APPROACHES TO AVOID OR USE WITH CARE IN CASES OF IRON TOXICITY

For the best results with iron toxicity, we find it is best to avoid certain approaches. Supplementing with too many tablets or other potions can spoil the result because they confuse the body. Doctors are often anxious to use all the “best” remedies and overdo. Simpler meals and simple nutritional supplement regimens are always best. Give no more than 20 pills three times daily.

Another problem area is the overuse of juices or high-dose vitamin C. Juices and all vitamin C are extremely yin in Chinese terminology. This is due to their nature, as they are cut up, cold and dispersed. All synthetic vitamins such as vitamin C, especially that which is used intravenously, are very yin as well.

While some carrot or green juice is fine, 4 ounces at a time and no more than twice daily are enough.

INTRAVENOUS VITAMIN C AND INFECTIONS

High-dose vitamin C is excellent for many viral and bacterial infections, in part because it increases iron absorption and utilization. Bacteria grow well and “burn through” the infected area quickly. This is an interesting way that iron and vitamin C affect bacterial and at times viral infections.

References

1. N Eng J Med, 1999, Hereditary Hemochromatosis in Adults without Pathogenic Mutations in the Hemochromatosis Gene, Pietrangelo, A. et al., 341:725, September 2.

2. Neurology, 2003, Parkinson's disease risks associated with dietary iron, manganese, and other nutrient intakes, Powers, KM et al., Jun 10;60(11):1761-6.

3. Amer J Clin Nut, 1998, 68:3-4 (calcium used to inhibit iron absorption)

4. Life Extension Foundation, 2000, Disease Prevention and Treatment, Third Ed., pp.317-321.

5. Casdorph, H.R. and Walker, M., Toxic Metal Syndrome, Avery Publishing, 1995.

6. Kutsky, R., Handbook of Vitamins, Minerals and Hormones, 2^nd ed., Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1982.

7. www.mercola.com/2002/dec/18/iron_diagnosis.htm

8. www.irondisorders.org/Disorders/Acquired.asp

9. J Royal Soc Med. 1988, “Iron added to flour: Is it nutritionally beneficial? Discussion paper”, M J Hall, May; 81(5): 280–283.

10. http://ironoverloadtreatment.com/ (the new instrument to measure iron overload)

11. www.irondisorders.org/News

12. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070830122255.htm

13. www.mayoclinic.com/health/hemochromatosis/DS00455/DSECTION=7

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