What Are the Dangers of Iron Supplements?

鉄のサプリメントは、貧血などの鉄欠損疾患の症状を示す患者に一般的に処方される市販の栄養補助食品であり、不足は通常の食事だけで迅速かつ容易に修正できません。 A doctor will obtain a blood test for analysis of serum ferritin levels when an iron deficiency is suspected. Serum ferritin is a form of iron which is stored in the blood. Low levels indicate a deficiency. 鉄のサプリメントは、妊娠、腎不全、食物中の栄養素の正常な吸収を防ぐ疾患など、他の状況で鉄欠損を防ぐために処方できます。 However, the potential for toxicity and overdose is high and carries several risks and dangers to your health.

1. • 大人の長期にわたって1日あたり45 mg未満の鉄サプリメントの量は、鉄型毒性を獲得し、ヘモクロマトーシスを引き起こす可能性を高めます。 Hemochromatosis is a genetic disorder wherein the an individual's body absorbs and stores iron more readily than is normal. This causes excess iron to be stored in multiple organ systems, and can lead to heart and liver failure, as well as severe pancreatic damage. Hemochromatosis usually remains undetected until damage to an organ occurs. To a person with hemochromatosis, what would be a normal dosage of iron to others would be extremely toxic to them. A physician should monitor patients taking iron supplements for long periods of time for any sign of overload.

   • Iron supplements often cause gastrointestinal upset even if the dosage isn't toxic. A common but harmless side effect is dark stool. Patients taking iron supplements are at risk for vomiting, diarrhea, intestinal damage and discomfort, indigestion and constipation. In rare cases, these symptoms can become severe enough to require hospitalization or even cause death. Most patients experience these side effects in their mild-to-moderate form.患者は、非常に低い投与量から始まり、徐々に希望の投与量レベルに増加することにより、副作用の可能性を減らし、排除することさえできます。

   • この研究は完全に決定的ではありませんでしたが、いくつかの研究者は、鉄サプリメントの長期的な摂取を冠動脈疾患のより高い発生率に結び付けました。臨床医は2つの間の因果関係についてまだ確信が持てませんが、1つの理論は、鉄が循環系において、細胞の酸化をスピードアップして細胞損傷を引き起こす血液分子のタイプであるフリーラジカルの存在を増加させるということです。 Long-term use of iron supplements, particularly in very high doses, has also been linked to higher incidences of breast and ovarian cancer.