Q-I'm a serious weight lifter, and I take several supplements that include iron. Is it possible to get too much?
A-Having high blood levels of iron is associated with an increased risk of heart attacks and cancers, particularly cancers of the esophagus and bladder. Iron helps to convert the bad LDL cholesterol to oxidized LDL, which can form arteriosclerotic plaques and cause heart attacks. Iron can bind to and damage the genetic material in cells leading to uncontrolled growth, which is cancer.
Manufacturers are encouraged to add iron to foods to help prevent iron-deficiency anemia, which is common in very young children and menstruating women. The amount of iron that is absorbed from supplements is small compared with the amount of iron that is absorbed from meat, fish or chicken. Iron in living tissue is in a chemical form called heme iron, which can be absorbed up to 10 times more readily than the iron in supplements.
You can find out if you are getting too much iron. Ask your doctor to draw blood for a test called transferrin iron binding saturation. People with a transferrin iron binding saturation of more than 60 percent are at increased risk for developing heart attacks and cancers. If your level is greater than 60 percent, you can reduce your intake of iron by cutting down on supplements and restricting meat, fish and chicken.