Function of Iron in the Body

Iron is a mineral that the body needs for growth and development. It is widely known to be required in the production of haemoglobin, however there are other functions of iron as well.

Iron is found in muscle cells called myoglobin. Myoglobin also contains a haem group, which allows it to bind reversibly to oxygen. Myoglobin is responsible for accepting, storing, transporting and releasing oxygen.

Iron can also be stored as ferritin and can be found in cells and circulating the blood.

Ferritin level blood tests are often used to diagnose certain diseases. Low levels of ferritin can be a sign of iron deficiency or anaemia, whereas high levels of ferritin may be an indication of leukemia or type 2 diabetes.

Iron is important for our health and is often replenished through consumption of red meat and beans. However, when iron stores are exhausted, the patient will suffer from a condition known as iron depletion. Further decreases may be diagnosed as iron-deficient erythropoiesis or iron deficiency anaemia.

Sources:

https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/hemoglobin-and-functions-of-iron

https://www.britannica.com/science/myoglobin

https://www.healthline.com/health/ferritin

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/iron-deficiency-anemia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355034

https://www.verywellhealth.com/iron-supplements-benefits-4178814

Comments

Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that affects one’s movements. Parkinson’s disease signs and symptoms are different for every individual and may go unnoticed in the early stage. Symptoms typically start on one side of the body and remain worse on that side even after the symptoms begin appearing in both sides of the body. Generally, the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include tremors, slowed movement, rigid muscles, impaired posture and balance, loss of automatic movements such as blinking or swinging of arms when walking, and speech and writing changes. Parkinson’s disease occurs when neurons in an area of the brain that controls movement becomes impaired or dies. These neurons normally produce dopamine. As more neurons become impaired or die, the amount of dopamine produced in the body is reduced significantly, causing the movement problems associated with Parkinson’s disease. People with Parkinson’s also lose the nerve endings that produc...

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that occurs when there is too little bone or when the body produces too little bone. The word is derived from the terms ‘osteo’ which means ‘bone’ and ‘porosis’ which means porous. Compared to normal bones, the spongy bone has more holes or pores, weakening the structural integrity of the skeleton. Bone cels called Osteoclasts, break down bone tissue and Osteoblasts build bone using minerals such as Calcium and Phosphate. Hormones such as oestrogen and testosterone help to keep the number and activity of Osteoblast high. There are 2 types of osteoporosis. Primary Osteoporosis is due to old age when Osteoclasts remove more bone than Osteoblast make. This usually happens after the age of 30 when adults reach their ‘peak bone mass’. Secondary Osteoporosis affects both children and adults and mainly stem from cancer, hormonal imbalances or certain use of medications. In severe cases, bones may become too weak to support the rest of the human body and is ...

Tinnitus

Tinnitus is a hearing condition often described as ringing in the ears. Tinnitus can also cause other types of noise in your ears such as: buzzing, roaring, clicking, hissing and humming. The pitch heard from tinnitus can vary from a high squeal to a low roar, this can affect the patient’s ability to detect tinnitus from external sounds Tinnitus can develop gradually over time or occur suddenly. It is often associated with: age-related hearing loss, inner ear damage, earwax build-up and middle ear infection However, one in every three people with tinnitus doesn't have any obvious problem with their ears or hearing. Sources: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tinnitus/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20350162 http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/understanding-tinnitus-basics

Injections of Medical Insights

Search This Blog