too much iron?

[redclover]

Recently I had some blood work done to check my thyroid and iron after the birth of my second baby.

Thyroid was fine, but apparently I have much too much iron! I don't know how to lesson my iron intake while eating a mostly paleo diet and while continue to use my cast iron skillets... any ideas?

I also didn't realize that iron overload can lead to organ failure if not caught soon enough... scary stuff!

[rebirth]

Use some stainless, at least for acidic dishes? Sub fish for meat more often? I think this would be hard for me too!

[serenbat]

Can you simply donate blood (not sure in your case if you can or not??) or have bloodletting done?

[JMJ]

Lining your skillet with more fat creates a barrier that reduces iron absorption from food.  Eating calcium-rich foods at the same time decreases iron absorption, and Vitamin C increases iron absorption.  Many people try to eat their iron with Vitamin C at a different time than their calcium.  You might try doing the opposite.

[HawaiianBlesing]

Have you been checked for hemachromatosis?  This runs in my family and is genetic.  My great uncle died from it because it went undiagnosed (long term).  My grandfather has it and has to have his blood drawn monthly.  My levels were high pre-periods so I need to be monitored later on in life when I get closer to menopause. 

Just something to keep in the back of your mind

[Wolfcat]

Originally Posted by HawaiianBlesing 

Have you been checked for hemachromatosis?  This runs in my family and is genetic.  My great uncle died from it because it went undiagnosed (long term).  My grandfather has it and has to have his blood drawn monthly.  My levels were high pre-periods so I need to be monitored later on in life when I get closer to menopause. 

Just something to keep in the back of your mind

Yeah, that. Cuz really you cannot OD on iron unless you have a disorder like hemachromatosis. Your body actually shuts down the receptors for iron absorption.

Oh, but you eat a lot of meat, which uses different receptors. And none of the usual tricks work on that (ie, vit c, calcium, etc.). You can cut down your meat intake (or switch to lower iron meats, ie, chicken not beef, flesh not organs) but the cast iron thing is elemental iron, which get absorbed by the receptors that shut down.

Have you gotten AF yet? Are you BFing? Either of those should get some of the iron out of your blood. How high is your ferretin levels, anyways? It would have to be over 150 to worry about...

[porcupine73]

Yes giving blood or bloodletting is a quick way to reduce stored iron. I think you can actually pick up a reasonable amount of iron by cooking in cast iron or other iron containing cookware. I forget which is which, the heme vs. non-heme, but the iron naturally found in foods the body can eliminate, but the other form it usually locks in ferriten and stores it away.

[Wolfcat]

Originally Posted by porcupine73 

Yes giving blood or bloodletting is a quick way to reduce stored iron. I think you can actually pick up a reasonable amount of iron by cooking in cast iron or other iron containing cookware. I forget which is which, the heme vs. non-heme, but the iron naturally found in foods the body can eliminate, but the other form it usually locks in ferriten and stores it away.

Heme iron is meat iron, non-heme (elemental) iron is veggie and cast iron sourced iron. The difference is that the iron molecule has a ring of proteins around it (heme ring) when it is in heme form.

There is no difference in how your body stores the iron once it goes through uptake [which is when the iron moves from your digestive tract through the receptor cells (one kind for heme, one kind for elemental)].

The uptake is what's important. Heme has more uptake receptors through a larger portion of the small intestine. Elemental iron receptors have a triggered shut-off when ferretin levels get too high. The body never removes iron once it goes through the receptors, it only loses iron through the synthesis of red blood cells, and certain hormones and neurotransmitters (such as dopamine), as well as through blood loss, bruising and soft tissue impact (such as running).

This is all assuming there is no disorder, such as the previously mentioned hemachromatosis.

And, just an FYI, I am QA in a heme iron supplement manufacturing company. Part of my job has been to research and review over 100 peer-reviewed studies on the bioavailability of heme iron vs elemental iron, the process of iron uptake for each form, and the effects of iron on various disorders. [We use the information to make sure we don't lie or mislead in our marketing materials. ]