•Adult intakes average 11.6 – 14.0 [95% CI 4.0
– 29.1] mg/day
•
•Food sources: cereals (44%), meat:
supplements F 14%, M 5%
•
•Deficiency common: vegetarians, menorrhagia
and infants
•
•Multi preparations contain ~15mg /day [OTC 65-100 mg x
3/day]
•
•GL 14.8 mg
•
•High intakes result in reduced
absorption. No excretion route
•
•Acute toxicity: abdominal pain,
nausea, diarrhoea, constipation
•
•Chronic toxicity: iron accumulates in the liver, skin, joints, resulting in fatigue, arthritis, diabetes, gonadal
failure
- Haemochromatosis in 0.6% of Europeans - iron
accumulation
- Chronic
liver disease can also lead to accumulation
- Chronic
haematological disorders transfusion haemosiderosis)
•
•Excess diagnosed by:
raised iron
saturation >55% (fasting sample no supplements)
raised serum
ferritin (if no inflammation)
not by
measurement of Haemoglobin