Iron Supplements Aren't for Everyone

Supplements are a good thing, right? Especially essential vitamins and minerals. That's nearly always true. Our food supply is sadly deficient in the critical nutrients that your body needs to be at its best.

However, when it comes to iron, you should use caution, particularly if you're a man.

Iron deficiency causes problems. Iron is crucial for the creation of red blood cells. Without enough iron, it's hard for your body to transport enough oxygen to your cells. You'll feel tired and fatigued all the time. You may feel weak and look pale.

But iron deficiency is rare in adult men. In fact, most men are getting too much iron. And that comes with its own set of problems. If you have too much iron in your system, it will begin to build up in your liver. This can cause your liver to become enlarged. It can cause diabetes. It can damage your heart, shrink your testicles, trigger arthritis, make you fatigued, lead to liver cancer, and cause ongoing abdominal problems.

Most grains in our food supply—especially in processed foods—have been fortified with iron. This means if you eat red meat and you eat fortified grains and you don't have a menstrual cycle, you are at risk of getting too much iron.

There are several things you can do to make sure your iron intake is adequate without overdoing it. First of all if you eat meat, your iron levels aren't likely at any risk of being low. Instead you want to focus on making sure they don't get too high. To do this, reduce the amount of processed grains you eat (something you should do anyway) and choose a multivitamin that doesn't contain iron.

Too much iron results in serious health problems. If you're a middle-aged male, you are much more likely to have iron levels that are too high than too low. Switch to an iron-free multivitamin today to make sure you aren't hurting your body instead of building your health.

Stay well,
Heather Robwell