IRON REQUIREMENTS,

BIOAVAILABILITY AND ANEMIA

Submitted to:
Submitted by:
Date:
Assignment no:
BS
biochemistry
semester V

Dr. Sobia Ahsan

Hafiza Aliza
khan
11 November ,
2015
3rd post mid

IRON REQUIREMENTS, BIOAVAILABILITY AND ANEMIA

It is widely accepted that deficiency or increase in certain elements has dramatic results on
human health. The result of an element can be estimated by several characteristics such as
absorption, metabolism, and how much an element can affect the metabolic processes in human
body. In the category of minerals and small ions Iron is very essential element for almost all
living organisms because it has a critical role in a great variety of metabolic processes such as
transport of oxygen, nucleic acids (DNA, RNA) synthesis, and reactions of electron transport
chain. Concentration of iron in body tissues must be strongly regulated because it can form free
radicals in excessive amounts that can lead to tissue damage. Among the most common diseases
of humans related to deficiencies, iron deficiency and disorder are at top, that results in a broad
spectrum of diseases, ranging from iron overload to anemia, and also can lead to
neurodegenerative diseases.[1]
Man has recognized the special role of iron in maintaining health of human body from ancient
times The importance of iron became greatly accepted in 1932 when researchers found that
inorganic iron is a part of hemoglobin, a pigment that supplies oxygen throughout the body.[2]
Now it is evident from the facts and figures that iron deficiency causes half of anemia in
developing countries and people uptake iron in supplements. In our body iron plays very
important role in the proliferation of cells, energy generation, DNA synthesis, respiration also. In
our body 3-5gm of iron is present and our daily diet requirement is 15mg per day. Girls usually
require high levels of iron due to menstrual cycle and boys also require large quantity of iron for
puberty.[3]
We take iron from our diet in two basic forms: heme and non-heme. The heme iron can be
obtained from important proteins i.e., hemoglobin & myoglobin present in meats and fish while
nonheme iron can be obtained from cereals, fruits and vegetables.[4] The bioavailability of heme
iron is so high that is 15-35% while the bioavailability of nonheme iron is very low that is 220%. Non-heme iron bioavailability is strongly affected by the presence of other food
components.[5] On the other side, the quantity of nonheme iron in food is very high as compared

to heme iron in meals and fish. But instead non-heme iron low bioavailability it plays a major
role in carrying out functions of the body.[6]
Conversion of blood sugar to energy requires iron. Enzymes that which play a vital role in the
production of new cells, amino acids, hormones and neurotransmitters such as Catalase,
Hydrogenase, IRE-BPA and aconitase, this role becomes very critical during the process of
competing or recovery from illnesses or following strenuous exercises. The immune system is
dependent on iron for its efficient functioning and physical and mental growth require sufficient
iron levels, particularly important in childhood and pregnancy, where the developing baby solely
depends on its mother's iron supplies.[7]
Iron uptake and metabolic activity is increased by several other factors. Ascorbate and acetate
they both act as chelators in duodenum and help in the absorption of metals in intestine. They
attach iron and transfer iron to the internal lining of intestine.[8] The ability of ascorbate to attach
iron to itself depends on the ability that how much it reduce ferric ion to ferrous ion. Ascorbate is
also powerful that it can overcome the effect of all inhibitors in iron such as phytate, polyphenols
and other ions such as calcium.[9] But the increasing effect of ascorbate on the absorption of iron
can be cancelled by high levels of polyphenols and other poisons and toxic substances.[10]
Packing and storage of food minimize the efficiency of dietary ascorbate.[11] It has been
suggested from modern experiments results that foods such as meat and fish they increase the
absorption of nonheme iron in intestine by 2-3 folds. Research have also indicate that muscle
activity also increases the uptake of iron as metabolism go on increasing. Many factors affect the
iron absorptivity and compete with iron in intestine for absorption. These mostly include metals
and they are iron, zinc, manganese, lead and cobalt. But lead intoxication is major factor of iron
competition and greatly reduces the iron absorption.[12]
For infants from 7 to 12 months' completed age, the recommended dietary allowance for iron, is
11 mg/day. The amount of iron lost, primarily from sloughed epithelial cells from skin and the
intestinal and urinary tracts, was added to the amounts of iron required for increased blood
volume, increased tissue mass, and storage iron during this period of life. So iron supply below
this limit can lead to anemia in infants. The most common reason for too little iron in men is
blood loss from the digestive tract such as cancer, hemorrhoids, diverticular disease. Other
causes include bone marrow abnormalities resulting in impaired blood cell formation resulting in

bone marrow failure. But usually suffer little from iron deficiency anemia than women and they
require 13mg/day. Pregnant women are likely to get anemic. Iron deficiency is the most common
cause of anemia in pregnant women. This is because the average need of iron for women
generally is about 14.8 mg every day. And when a woman conceives, the daily requirement of
iron increases significantly, becoming more than even double (30 mg needed every day) by third
trimester of pregnancy. In pregnant women, during the 12-25 weeks of pregnancy level of serum
ferritin is decreased as large amount of iron is used to at that time period for the preparation of
large number of red blood cells. After 30 week of gestation more amount of maternal iron is
transferred to the fetus. From various evidences, it is clear that if there is deficiency of iron in the
mother during early period of pregnancy it result in the delivery of low weight infant. For
example the preterm birth risk is increased in a woman who is anemic to 1.18-1.75 times greater
than the normal risk of low birth weight is also increased. Hemoglobin level less than 110
grams/liter in first and third trimester and 105 gram/liter in second trimester are indicative of
anemia. If level falls even below 60 grams/liter, this can even lead to death of fetus. [13]
There are few major and principle strategies to prevent iron deficiency in population. The first
task is to create public awareness; educating people about importance of having adequate iron
through diet by taking iron rich foods such as fleshy foods and increasing consumption of fruits
and vegetables rich ascorbic acid which improves iron absorption. Bioavailability of iron needs
to be improved as well. This can be done by using enzymatic and non-enzymatic techniques to
hydrolyze phytic acid in legumes and cereals.
Iron supplementation should be provided with those with already low iron levels in body. It is
best to take iron supplements with empty stomach because taking supplements with meals
reduces iron absorption by about two-thirds. Iron Supplementation is especially important for
pregnant women.
Foods should be and can be fortified with iron to make up for voluntary intake of iron rich diet.
However it has its difficulties. Because adding soluble forms of iron compounds causes color or
flavor changes in products. Hence less soluble form has to be added to foods although that is less
well absorbed in the body.
Ferrous fumarate, ferric pyrophosphate, ferrous sulfate and electrolytic iron powder are good
iron compounds to be added to foods. Wheat flour is something usually fortified with iron. [14]

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