Iron deficiency – the problem:
Tired? You may be Iron Deficient! In fact, iron deficiency is the leading cause of fatigue among women between the time of menstruation and menopause. Adolescents and women of childbearing age need to regularly replace the iron that is eliminated through the menstrual cycle.
Iron is an essential element for blood production. About 70 percent of your body's iron is found in the red blood cells of your blood called hemoglobin and in muscle cells called myoglobin. Hemoglobin is essential for transferring oxygen in your blood from the lungs to the tissues. Myoglobin, in muscle cells, accepts, stores, transports and releases oxygen.
About 6 percent of body iron is a component of certain proteins, essential for respiration and energy metabolism, and as a component of enzymes involved in the synthesis of collagen and some neurotransmitters. Iron also is needed for proper immune function.
About 25 percent of the iron in the body is stored as ferritin, found in cells and circulating throughout the blood. The average adult male has about 1,000 mg of stored iron (enough for about three years), whereas women on average have only about 300 mg (enough for about six months). When iron intake is chronically low, stores can become depleted, decreasing hemoglobin levels.
Serious iron deficiency can lead to anemia.
Blood loss is the most common cause of iron deficiency. In men and postmenopausal women, iron deficiency is almost always the result of gastrointestinal blood loss. In menstruating women, genitourinary blood loss often accounts for increased iron requirements. Oral contraceptives tend to decrease menstrual blood loss, whereas intrauterine devices tend to increase menstrual bleeding. Other causes of genitourinary bleeding and respiratory tract bleeding also increase iron requirements.
During periods of growth in infancy, childhood and adolescence, iron requirements may outstrip the supply of iron from diet and stores. Iron loss from tissue growth during pregnancy and from bleeding during delivery and post-partum averages 740 mg. Breastfeeding increases iron requirements by about 0.5 to 1 mg per day.
Iron is not made in the body and must be absorbed from our diet. The adult minimum daily requirement of iron is 1.8 mg. Only about 10 to 30 percent of the iron that is consumed in our diet is absorbed and used by the body.
The daily requirement of iron can be achieved by taking iron supplements. Ferrous Gluconate 50mg, taken orally once to twice a day, combined with Ascorbic Acid 500mg to aid iron absorption can dramatically improve how you feel, and your health.
Elixir compounds iron in both liquid and capsule form. So, if you’re iron deficient, contact Elixir today.
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