Iron is critical for numerous neurophysiological functions, while its dysregulation is potentially hazardous for neurodegeneration through oxidative stress and ferroptosis. For decades, elevated brain iron levels observed in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis was presumed to drive disease progression; a hypothesis that propelled clinical trials of strong iron chelators like deferiprone. Results from these trials, however, have challenged this paradigm, with deferiprone markedly worsening outcomes in Alzheimer’s and, in certain contexts, Parkinson’s patients. These findings underscore the vital role of iron for brain health and suggest functional compensatory mechanisms that could become deleterious at the extremes of iron distribution (both low and high levels). Here, we outline an evolving understanding of iron’s role in neurodegeneration, and we explore pathways for therapeutic development strategies that mitigate potential iron-mediated damage, while preserving its essential functions in the brain.
One of my friend’s sons was mostly bedridden from the age of seventeen to his mid-twenties with hereditary hemochromatosis, and it made me look at iron very differently. Since I have a good deal of iron in my diet, I mostly avoid adding more with supplements.
Fair point. But I think it’s also worth pointing out that a HUGE percentage of the general population is functionally iron deficient. Around 3% of the general male population, and 8% of the general male population. Worse yet, in the 19-50 year old women demographic, that rises to a staggering 32%. So for a sizeable chunk of people, getting more iron is probably the best thing they can do for their quality of life and their health.
True. I think all of this just points to the complexity of some nutrients that really must be kept in balance, since the body doesn’t necessarily handle overloading well—and yet levels must be maintained.
I’ve had low red blood cell counts for years. Back in 2019 the level was around 4.6 million RBCs per microliter; then last year it was about the same; and just recently, I was around 4.1 million. One of the markers for anemia in males is RBC counts that low. (Yet, I can do heavy weightlifting and not get too tired. I must have learned to adapt to it.)
It’s possible that this is due to low iron intake. I have for a long time worried about my diet, which likely tends not to include a lot of it. I do eat a decent amount of vegetables (including spinach, which only has 0.8 mg of iron per cup), but it’s not enough. Tofu does have a lot, but I don’t eat it often. I don’t eat beef or red meat; I eat mostly chicken, which has half the iron on a weight basis as beef. A lot of my protein comes from sources like a whey protein shake, which has very little (if any) iron. If I add everything up, I probably just barely clear the recommended daily amount of iron. But then I also drink a lot of tea and coffee, which make it harder to absorb – in fact, with breakfast I take in about 2 cups of coffee; with lunch I take in about 3 cups of iced tea or green tea, usually. And with snacks (like oatmeal in the afternoon) I often drink more coffee.
So, I’ve lately been taking an over-the-counter iron pill.
I’ve read that men can retain their iron for years, even after being pushed into a low-iron-intake phase; the body is efficient at recycling it. However, do that long enough, and the system can’t keep up. I’ve probably been living on reduced iron now for 5 years or more, without even fully realizing it.
Addendum: I think I’m going to stop taking iron pills soon. I’ve read that the body doesn’t easily excrete it, and that it builds up and up and up in organs, at least in men. Iron pills are designed with women in mind, and they need a lot more of it than men. Still, they (pills) don’t have much more than is present in 2 or 3 cups of tofu.
