Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

9

What do you think about Don's new post about the negative effects of iron?

A few excerpts:

In The Iron Factor of Aging, Francesco S. Facchini discusses the relationship between iron and chronic diseases at length. After a thorough review of the evidence linking iron to inflammation, disease, and aging, he notes that when we look at modern nations, people who have diets with a lower iron availability also have lower rates of chronic inflammatory, autoimmune, and degenerative diseases. These include the Mediterranean and Asian nations where tea, wine, cheese, legumes, vegetables, and fruits provide the 'antinutrients' reducing iron availability, and people either consume less red meat and more white meat (fish and poultry, lower in iron) or nearly vegetarian diets.

[...] In general, in modernized nations, women have a greater life expectancy than men. This means women age more slowly, and this may occur because women lose iron every month, resulting in a lower iron status, and a lower level of hydroxyl radical formation.

[...] Men can reduce their iron stores by regularly consuming 'antinutrients' and giving blood.

flag	asked Sep 30 2011 at 16:57 Primordial 1,728●1●2●15

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This is interesting because I was just having a convo about the reasons phytic acid seems to benefit cancer and specifically colon cancer. We saw some research that supports the fact that iron overload is correlated with colon cancer. I speculated that the phytic acid was acting as a chelator of excess iron and thus benefiting the colon in that way. – none Sep 30 2011 at 17:41

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Also, Ray Peat is big time anti-iron and he recommends drinking coffee with high iron foods like red meat to reduce the absorption. I don't have time to post direct links so that's why I'm keeping it in comments, but you can go to www.raypeat.com if you are interesting in reading more! – none Sep 30 2011 at 17:42

Im with peat on this rec! – The Quilt Oct 1 2011 at 1:02

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That's why I'm glad I'm a lady :) – Bread-Eating Beelzebub Oct 29 2011 at 0:05

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can someone help me out regarding drinking coffee to reduce absorption of iron? will this interfere with calcium absorption or will supplementing with K2 and D be enough? Trying to strike a balance here. – Domtx008 Nov 12 2011 at 18:45

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Jeff · Answer 1 · 2011-09-30 22:00:16Z UTC

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I agree completely and give blood fairly often to reduce my iron levels. Also am considering taking an IP6 supplement too.

You should also check out this thread http://paleohacks.com/questions/34678/blood-donations#axzz1ZTXlEI87

there is a great answer from the quilt

edited Sep 30 2011 at 22:00

answered Sep 30 2011 at 17:51

Jeff
16.6k●1●8●33

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phytate is IP6 right? – smartcookie Sep 30 2011 at 18:16

this is the woman you should be talking to about this ^^^^. – none Sep 30 2011 at 18:34

who, smartcookie? – Jeff Sep 30 2011 at 21:45

and yeah phytic acid en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytic_acid – Jeff Sep 30 2011 at 21:46

Anonymous Chump · Answer 2 · 2011-10-29 17:35:16Z UTC

"Epidemiological data thus show a suggestive association between dietary heme and risk of colon cancer. The analysis of experimental studies in rats with chemically-induced colon cancer showed that dietary hemoglobin and red meat consistently promote aberrant crypt foci, a putative precancer lesion. The mechanism is not known, but heme iron has a catalytic effect on (i) the endogenous formation of carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds and (ii) the formation of cytotoxic and genotoxic aldehydes by lipoperoxidation. A review of evidence supporting these hypotheses suggests that both pathways are involved in heme iron toxicity."

http://cancerprevention.aacrjournals.org/content/4/2/177.short

"Moreover, our studies show that beef meat and cured pork meat promote colon carcinogenesis in rats. The major promoter in meat is heme iron, via N-nitrosation or fat peroxidation. Dietary additives can suppress the toxic effects of heme iron."

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0309174011001458

Iron in meat a factor for inflammation and aging?

2 Answers