Too Much Of A Good Thing?

I like many women believe getting extra iron is a good way to make up for what's lost in menstrual blood. But recently I learned that taking an iron supplement when you don't need it can be a waste of money - or even a health risk. But why? Isn't excess iron secreted? Yes..but not quite - ok, so there goes my money but health risk?

What I found out was very interesting. If you have a genetic condition called hemochromastaosis (a rare condition that occurs in one out of every two hundred people)in which the body absorbs too much iron, overloading on this mineral can lead to diabetes, heart diseases, and cirrhosis of the liver.

Wow! that's a whole lot of issues don't you think? So what's your best bet then? Or mine? Take iron supplements only when the doctor prescribes them. This prescription would follow after your doctor has determined from a blood test that your levels are low. Ask for the serum ferritin test, it's considered more reliable than the standard hemoglobin test.

So how much iron does the human body really need? In general if you're at the childbearing age, your requirements should be about 15 milligrams of iron daily. You should get about 30-60mg if you're pregnant.

Good luck with those needles. I love to get pricked. Didn't though when I was a kid. Read more about my experience as a child here.