Iron and weight loss are related in ways that many people don’t realize. Iron deficiency is a nutritional disease that affects human beings caused by lack of iron in the body. It is in every cell of the body; it carries the oxygen from the lungs to tissues in the form of hemoglobin. Iron is also the transport medium for electrons within cells in form of the cytochrome, and as integral part of enzyme reactions in tissues.
How are Iron and Weight Loss Connected?
A lack of iron can affect the vital functions of the body which can lead to a number of serious health conditions, most commonly anemia. Children are the most affected with this disease as are pre-menopausal women.
Iron deficiency can make it harder to lose weight so make sure to eat foods high in iron, such as spinach and broccoli.
How Much Do You Need?
The average daily intake of iron for men should be 3.8g and 2.3g for women. Various mechanisms control iron metabolism in human beings and protect against iron deficiency. The main regulatory mechanism is found in gastrointestinal tract.
The best way to acquire enough iron in the body is by eating the variety of foods that are rich in iron. These include liver, kidney, lean meat, heart, chicken, fish, rice paste, rolled oats, bread, legumes, and dried foods and ready to eat cereals and dark green vegetables.
Not Enough Iron and Its Impact on Weight Loss
People who are experiencing non-menstrual bleeding, bleeding from gastrointestinal tract and laryngological, cause iron deficiency. This can make the affected person to loss a lot of weight and grow weak.
The most affected people are pregnant women and women who are experiencing heavy menstruation period. People who are experiencing iron deficiency diseases experiences symptoms like pallor, fatigue, weakness, pica, irritability, grooved nails and brittle, Plummer disease and impaired immune functions.
What to Do to Replace this Mineral
For people who are suffering from the iron deficiency diseases, they should use some supplements that can help them to add some iron in their bodies.
That said, it’s very important to be careful before supplementing iron. It’s best to do this only with a doctor’s guidance as there are many conditions that can have the same symptoms as an iron deficiency, but that are something else entirely. Taking too much iron places you at risk of iron toxicity.
It is not advisable to have too much iron in the blood. This is because it can increase some risks like cirrhosis, heart disease, diabetes and arthritis. It causes wear and tear on organs and tissues, if they do not acquire enough antioxidants from the diet like vitamin E and C.
Still, the connection between iron levels and weight loss should not be ignored. Iron levels are very essential to people who intend to slim down.
Fad dieting places dieters at risk of reduced iron levels in the body, as is the case with fasting practices. That said, what’s more common is to have the body experience a shift in its need for this mineral due to changes in diet and activity levels. This will not only alter your sources of nutrition but also the way you use the nutrients you’re consuming.
Regular exercise is a very important way of successful loss of weight. Your workout performance requires good oxygen supplies that reach all parts of the body, and it requires optimum energy levels. When you suddenly become physically active – or increase that activity level – you will also raise your need for this nutrient, which is often lost through sweat.
Eating Iron for Weight Loss
Some animal foods that have iron in them like red meat and fish are easily absorbed and used in the body than the iron in plants such as vegetables. Therefore, people who have goals for losing their weight should avoid taking the foods and look for a substitute. This will help them maintain the weight the need. Vitamin C also helps iron to absorb in the body easily and so they should avoid taking food with a lot of vitamin C in it.
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