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All pediatricians unanimously say: best option iron intake naturally, that is, with food. This means that it would be nice to know what promotes its absorption and what interferes with it.

Why do you need iron?

The main function of iron is to participate in the synthesis of the protein hemoglobin, which is part of red blood cells called red blood cells. Hemoglobin molecules are a vehicle for oxygen molecules, which they carry throughout the body through the bloodstream. Lack of hemoglobin caused by a lack of iron is fraught with an unpleasant condition, which is probably known to everyone and is called.

In addition to the synthesis of hemoglobin, iron is involved in the creation of white blood cells - lymphocytes, which are the basis of the immune system. It is clear that with a reduced number of lymphocytes, the immune system suffers significantly.

Some essential enzymes that prevent oxidative processes at the cellular level also contain iron.

As a rule, with full balanced diet, when the diet includes meat, fruits and vegetables, this mineral is quite enough to perform all its important functions. However, it is worth knowing that some combinations complicate the process of iron absorption, which means that it is better to eat them without mixing:

Foods that interfere with iron absorption

Calcium. So necessary and important, especially for a growing body, calcium is an iron antagonist. Dairy products, which are the main source of calcium, are certainly necessary for the child, however, their excess, especially with insufficient amounts of meat food, can be harmful. The maximum amount of calcium per 100 g of product is found in hard cheeses, cottage cheese comes in second place, then milk and its fermentation products - kefir, yogurt, koumiss and others. There is a lot of calcium in dried fruits, especially dates, eggs, and whole grain bread.

Tannins. Natural compounds that we perceive as a tart, astringent taste. Tannins in small quantities are generally safe for adults healthy person, but they can seriously harm the child. In addition to the fact that tannins interfere with the absorption of iron, they bind protein, and this process begins on the oral mucosa. Tannins are part of tea, and their concentration in green tea is higher than in black tea; tannins impart a tart taste to unripe persimmons; there is tannin in dark grapes and nuts.

Fitin. A natural compound of calcium-magnesium salt inositol phosphoric acid, found in cereals, usually most abundant in whole grain cereals. There is an opinion that semolina, which is a derivative of wheat grain, is also rich in phytin, which has become one of the reasons why it is strongly not recommended to be given to children under one year of age.

There are conflicting data from different studies regarding the interaction of iron and dietary fiber. Some researchers claim that fiber interferes with the absorption of the mineral, while others have a completely opposite opinion.

This is not at all a question of excluding children's diet the listed products, however, with this information, you can correctly combine products without causing problems with the absorption of iron. And even better - add something that will help its absorption6

What will help the absorption of iron?

Iron also has helpers, without which its absorption is impossible. These include:

• ascorbic acid- source of vitamin C fruits and vegetables
• vitamin A, formed from beta-carotene - a lot in carrots and persimmons
• Vitamins B6, B9 and B12 are the main source of animal products.

It is worth noting that the absorption of iron in the human body will depend on its form, as well as the presence of certain substances in other products that can either promote or hinder the normal absorption of this microelement.

There are heme and non-heme iron. The first is found in meat, fish, and other products of animal origin. Non-heme iron is concentrated in fruits, vegetables, and greens. It is noteworthy that heme iron is absorbed by 25-30%, while non-heme iron is absorbed by only 10%. That is why during the treatment of iron deficiency anemia, or for recovery normal level iron, patients are advised to give up vegetarianism. Otherwise you will need to use vitamin complexes, iron-containing tablets or dietary supplements (dietary supplements).

Products enter the stomach, where they begin to break down into proteins, fats and carbohydrates. At the same time, the body begins to absorb the vitamins and microelements it needs. It is worth noting that most of iron may not be absorbed, since products can be broken down in that part of the stomach where the body is not able to absorb the microelement it needs.

What affects the absorption of iron in the body

To achieve good results in the treatment of iron deficiency, you need to know what iron is best absorbed with. It's worth starting with the simplest. As you know, the main source of this microelement for the body is food. To prevent a deficiency of this microelement, you need to ensure that you have the correct daily diet. It is worth remembering that foods such as meat, fish, as well as fruits and vegetables are leaders in iron content, and therefore must be present in the human diet. Below are some tips that will answer the question: how is iron absorbed in the body?

The diet must include meat, fish, and other seafood. Experts note that if you include in your daily diet even a large number of products of animal origin, you can significantly reduce the likelihood of iron deficiency in the body.

Which foods are better for absorbing iron?

You can add popular breakfast cereals to meat and fish. They contain large amounts of iron. 200 grams of such breakfast contains the daily norm of a microelement necessary for the body.

Be sure to include legumes in your diet. Peanuts, beans, soybeans and other legume products are good sources of iron. It is noteworthy that in order to compensate daily norm iron in the body of a healthy person, only 200 grams of legumes are enough.

What to do to ensure that iron is absorbed in the body?

Don't give up on greens. For example, spinach and other dark green leafy crops are high in iron. About 100 grams of spinach allows you to normalize the required level of iron in the body of an adult.

What is the best way to absorb iron in the body?

As you know, at different stages of development, the body may require more iron than usual. Both adults and children face this problem. For example, during active development, the body requires much more of the vitamins and minerals it needs, and iron is no exception. Although men require less iron per day than women, they can also lose it in large quantities, if every day they actively engage in sports or are engaged in heavy physical labor. In this case, the question arises: what should you take iron with for better absorption in the body?

If the body is not able to obtain the amount of iron it needs from food, then it is worth taking a closer look at iron-containing preparations. They are prescribed by a specialist who initially studies the patient’s test results. Depending on the indicators, tablets or simply vitamin complexes may be prescribed, which essentially contain substances that promote better absorption of iron by the body. Here are some tips and tricks that people who want to compensate for the lack of iron in their body should know.

With which vitamin is iron absorbed?

As you know, the iron contained in vegetables is much more difficult to absorb by the body than that found in animal products. To eliminate this problem, it is necessary to include additional vitamins in the diet. So, with which vitamins is iron absorbed better? Iron is best absorbed with vitamin C. This vitamin is found in tomatoes and citrus fruits.

Vitamin B6 and B12 helps. Everyone knows that alcohol contributes to the active destruction of iron in the body, but experts still recommend drinking a little wine during lunch, as it will promote better absorption of iron by the body.

What helps the body absorb iron?

Lactic acid works well in this case. This is explained by the fact that it helps to increase the solubility of iron compounds.

Is iron absorbed in milk?

It is known that milk also contains iron, albeit in small quantities, but due to the presence of calcium and phosphates, the body is not able to properly absorb the microelement it needs. It is best to consume milk a few hours after taking iron-containing foods and medications.

Is calcium absorbed with iron?

Based on the above, we can confirm the fact that the combination of products with calcium and iron is not the best solution. Also, immediately after taking iron-containing foods and medications, you should not drink tea, coffee, or consume some legumes that contain polyphenols. Such substances interfere with the normal absorption of iron by the body.

Poor absorption of iron will invariably affect the functioning of all organs and systems. Knowing the main causes will help you diagnose the problem in time and begin to eliminate it.

Iron is a very important macronutrient that ensures the normal functioning of all organs and systems in the body. Daily requirement for men the iron content is 10 mg, for women – up to 20 mg. Pregnant and nursing mothers should receive about 35 mg of this element per day.

Conditions that are characterized by poor absorption of iron are quite common. Moreover, obvious anemia is not at all necessary. Why is this important metal sometimes so “capricious”?

Iron metabolism in the body

Iron absorption is a complex process regulated by numerical mechanisms. Of key importance in these processes are:

• iron regulatory proteins;
• enzymes involved in iron conversion reactions;
• the amount of iron deposited in tissues;
• Nitric oxide;
• hypoxia;
• oxidative stress.

Normally, iron is absorbed in the upper parts of the small intestine - the duodenum and the beginning of the jejunum. Its mucous membrane is covered with so-called enterocytes - cells at the top of which there is a brush border. Thanks to this border, ions are absorbed - it captures them and delivers them inside the cell. Part of the incoming iron is deposited in the mucous membrane, combining with apoferritin and forming ferritin, the rest enters the blood.

In the blood, ferroxidase enzymes oxidize incoming ions, after which they bind to the carrier, the protein transferrin. It supplies iron to the bone marrow, the precursor cells of red blood cells. Here, with the help of transferrin receptors, transferrin enters the cells, where it releases the brought ion.

The free form of iron is used for heme synthesis. The part that was not used is deposited in lysosomes and used as needed.

These processes are regulated at the gene level, and special enzymes take part in all reactions, without which normal iron metabolism becomes impossible.

About 75% of the iron entering the body is absorbed in this way. The remaining 25% is spent on the needs of other organs and systems. In addition to hemoglobin, myoglobin, cytochromes, and multiple ferum-dependent enzymes, which require an iron ion to function, require iron. Also, reserves of this element are formed in the body. They are consumed when there is insufficient intake from food.

Causes of iron metabolism disorders

All conditions in which the body suffers from iron deficiency can be divided into two groups: those caused either by increased losses or by insufficient supply of the element.

The first group of reasons include:

• acute and chronic diseases accompanied by bleeding;
• long and heavy menstruation in women;
• frequent pregnancies and childbirths;
• periods of active growth and development of the body - children under one year old, teenagers.

The second group includes:

• poor eating habits;
• problems with the gastrointestinal tract;
• chronic kidney disease;
• genetic changes.

Gastrointestinal disorders

Most common cause which interferes with the normal absorption of iron is a pathology gastrointestinal tract.

Gastric ulcer and duodenum. The ulcer itself does not interfere with the process of iron absorption. However, it is often complicated by stenosis - a narrowing of the outlet of the stomach and duodenal bulb. This makes it difficult for food to pass through the gastrointestinal tract and absorb almost all nutrients and vitamins.

Pathological conditions requiring resection of the stomach and duodenum. Most often these are tumor diseases, both malignant and benign, polyps, bleeding and perforated ulcers, acute obstruction at the level of the duodenum. In these conditions, the upper sections of the gastrointestinal tract are removed, and in the lower sections iron is simply not absorbed.

Atrophic gastritis – pathological condition, which is characterized chronic inflammation gastric mucosa and is accompanied by its atrophy. In this disease, there are two factors that affect the absorption of iron.

1. Insufficient level of hydrochloric acid. Scientists have found that iron is better absorbed in an acidic environment. An increase in gastric pH, which is observed with atrophic gastritis, impairs the absorption of this element in the body.
2. Insufficient synthesis of intrinsic factor interferes with the normal absorption of vitamin B12. Deficiency of this vitamin negatively affects iron metabolism.

By the way, intrinsic Castle factor deficiency also occurs in diseases that were accompanied by gastric resection.

Malabsorption syndrome, or impaired absorption, is a pathological syndrome that is observed in a variety of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. As the name implies, the key to this syndrome is the complete or partial inability to absorb certain nutrients, including iron.

Malabsorption can be primary or secondary. Primary malabsorption is based on genetic deficiency of enzymes or disruption of their functioning. Secondary malabsorption syndrome occurs when:

• pancreatitis;
• gastritis;
• celiac disease;
• colitis;
• diseases of the thyroid gland.

In this case, the main role in the pathogenesis is played by insufficiency of digestive enzymes and increased intestinal motor function.

Wrong eating habits

Food is the only external source of iron. Most of it is found in meat and liver, slightly less in eggs, fish, and caviar. Moreover, the type and color of meat is not of fundamental importance - both white and red meat are rich in iron.

Among plant foods, beans, peas, and soy contain the most iron. There is less of it in apples, berries, and grain products.

Vegetarians, refusing to eat animal foods, claim that the need for iron can be completely satisfied with plant foods. If we take into account only the content of this element per 100 g of product, it may seem that this is indeed the case.

But the iron contained in meat and plant foods differs significantly from each other. The first, the so-called heme, is absorbed almost completely. Non-heme iron from plant foods can be divalent or trivalent. In order for trivalent to be reduced to divalent, a reducing agent is needed. Ascorbic acid performs this role best. But the absorption of even divalent iron is approximately four times worse than heme iron.

In addition to the source great importance have accompanying food products. Vitamins of group B, orange and apple juices, sauerkraut. Tea and coffee worsen this process by about a third. Taking calcium, magnesium and zinc together with iron also negatively affects its absorption. This must be taken into account when selecting complex mineral preparations. For the same reason, meat and dairy products, which are a source of easily digestible calcium, must be taken separately.

Kidney diseases

In a healthy person, special substances are produced in the kidneys - erythropoietins. They regulate erythropoiesis, that is, the process of formation of red blood cells. In diseases that are accompanied by the development of chronic renal failure, there is a deficiency of this hormone, which significantly reduces the utilization of iron in the body.

In addition, patients with chronic renal failure regularly undergo hemodialysis, which involves filtering the blood and removing toxic substances from the body. Along with toxins, beneficial compounds, including iron, are also removed from the body.

It is also important that in this pathology the excretory function is partially taken over by the stomach. Performing a function unusual for it leads to the development of inflammation and deterioration of iron absorption.

Enzymepathies

As already mentioned, regulatory enzymes are involved in iron metabolism. Disruption of their work leads to changes in the course of reactions. Normal utilization of iron in the body under such conditions becomes impossible. Most often, failures occur at the genetic level and are congenital in nature, so the enzymes remain defective forever.

A similar mechanism occurs when transferrin is disrupted, when the delivery of iron into the cell becomes impossible. A special feature of these conditions is that iron absorption may remain completely normal. Of course, conditions when enzymes do not work properly and cause anemia are very rare, but they should not be forgotten.

Finally

Regardless of the etiology, iron deficiency in the body requires correction. It is almost impossible to independently determine the cause of low hemoglobin. Even a specialist needs to conduct an additional study to determine the correct diagnosis, determining blood enzymes. By self-medicating, at best, you can only temporarily improve your condition, so do not put off visiting a doctor. Timely treatment will have a positive effect on your health.