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Iron Feeds Infection

inflammation iron minerals

I recently spoke about iron overload and anemia...let’s expand a little bit.

We know that a lack of bioavailable copper can cause the body to hide iron away in the tissues. Copper is needed to create ATP (let’s not forget about magnesium and retinol!) and the inability to complete this energy cycle is what triggers the body to sequester iron so that it doesn’t rust in the blood. This noble effort creates oxidative stress.

What many people don’t know is that the body also hides iron to keep it from feeding pathogens...yes, all types of viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites, mycotoxins, etc LOVE iron. They mostly feed on the iron stored in our ferritin, which is where iron gets stored in the blood.

To put it simply, iron feeds infection (inflammation). And while not every single pathogen feeds on iron, most of them do, and unbound iron still creates opportunity for them.

"The evidence that supplemental Iron can promote both Infections and chronic inflammatory diseases is clear…” - Marianne Wessling-Resnick, PhD

It’s quite the vicious cycle. Iron overload (and other factors) inhibits us from creating energy and feeds pathogens, making us sicker.

If you suffer from recurring illnesses or infections, there’s likely an iron component to it. For example, bacterial infections like candida and SIBO are perpetuated by iron (in addition to the hypo-metabolic state someone may be in). Taking iron supplements or supplements that contain iron? It might be worth re-evaluating them with your healthcare provider, as this could be the real villain.

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This is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare professional before pursuing any changes to your personal healthcare regime.

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References

Cartwright, G.E Hamilton, L.D. Gubler, C.J. Fellows, N.M. Aschenbrucker, H. Wintrobe, M.M. (1950). THE ANEMIA OF INFECTION. XIII. STUDIES ON EXPERIMENTALLY PRODUCED ACUTE HYPOFERREMIA IN DOGS AND THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE ADRENAL CORTEX TO HYPOFERREMIA. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC436241/pdf/jcinvest00415-0037.pdf.

Elin R.J., Wolff S.M. (1974). “The Role of Iron in Nonspecific Resistance to Infection Induced by Endotoxin.” Retrieved from: pdfs.semanticscholar.org/de95/2a2d800e6e233a7fae838b260e2d15210bea.pdf.

Robbins, M. (2015). Iron Toxicity Post #7: All manner of pathogens – fungal, viral, mycotoxin etc., MUST have iron to flourish and grow! Retrieved from: https://therootcauseprotocol.com/mag-pie-alert-1-toxicity-of-iron/.

Robbins, M. (2017). Iron Toxicity Post #62: You do NOT have a Candida Infection, you DO have an Iron Infestation!. Retrieved from: https://therootcauseprotocol.com/iron-toxicity-post-62-you-do-not-have-a-candida-infection-you-do-have-an-iron-infestation/.

Robbins, M. (2018). Iron Toxicity Post #72: Iron deficiency is associated with RESISTANCE to infection. Retrieved from: https://therootcauseprotocol.com/iron-toxicity-post-72-formerly-itp72/.

Wang, L., Wessling-Resnick, M. Johnson, E.E. Shi, H.N. Walker, W.A. Cherayil, B.J. (2008). Attenuated inflammatory responses in hemochromatosis reveal a role for iron in the regulation of macrophage cytokine translation. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2561261/pdf/nihms55085.pdf.

Wessling-Resnick, M. (2010). Iron Homeostasis and the Inflammatory Response. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3108097/.

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Remember: this post is for informational purposes only and may not be the best fit for you and your personal situation. It shall not be construed as medical advice. The information and education provided here is not intended or implied to supplement or replace professional medical treatment, advice, and/or diagnosis. Always check with your own physician or medical professional before trying or implementing any information read here. While the owner of this website tries to keep the information up to date, there may be things that are out-of-date and out of their control.