Content area
Full Text
Too much iron may contribute to age-related brain diseases.
The most common nutrient deficiency in the United States and around the world is lack of adequate iron. But recent research indicates that getting too much iron could be a concern for older people at risk for age-related neurogenerative brain diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and dementia. Higher brain levels of iron may be associated with greater risk for such conditions, suggesting that those with no history of anemia or other iron deficiency might want to watch their intake.
"Iron is a double-edged sword," says Tufts Health & Nutrition Letter editor Irwin H. Rosenberg, MD. Dr. Rosenberg also directs Tufts' HNRCA Nutrition and Neurocognition Laboratory. "It's one of the most common elements, and it's critical for the synthesis of hemoglobin, which is the basis for the oxygencarrying capacity of red blood cells. On the other hand, it's highly reactive and can be damaging when the body has too much."
Some people have genetic conditions that cause problems even with normal dietary intake of iron, Dr. Rosenberg adds. "But even for people without these genes, too much iron- as in therapeutic amounts- can be detrimental.There is some evidence that too much oxidation from iron can even damage cells in the brain."
The body...