Iron Deficiency Anemia and Liquid Vitamins

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Iron, with perhaps the best described history among all the micronutrients, is a key element in the metabolism of almost all living organisms. In humans, iron is an essential component of hundreds of proteins and enzymes.

Heme is an iron-containing compound found in a number of biologically important molecules. Hemoglobin and myoglobin are heme-containing proteins that are involved in the transport and storage of oxygen.

Hemoglobin is the primary protein found in red blood cells and represents about two thirds of the body's iron.

The vital role of hemoglobin in transporting oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body is derived from the unique ability to acquire oxygen rapidly during the short time it is in contact with the lungs and to release oxygen as needed during its circulation through the tissues.

Myoglobin functions in the transport and short term cycle storage of oxygen in muscle cells, helping to match the supply of oxygen to the demand of working muscles. Iron is required for a number of vital functions, including growth, reproduction, healing, and immune function.

Because of liquid vitamins and minerals superior absorption capabilities, it can help this mineral in these processes. Vitamin A deficiency may exacerbate iron deficiency "anemia". Vitamin A supplementation Vitamin A supplementation has been shown to have beneficial effects on iron deficiency anemia.

The combination of vitamin A and iron seems to ameliorate anemia more effectively than either iron or vitamin A alone. The ease of taking liquid vitamins and minerals also helps individuals of all ages.

Iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency in the U.S. and worldwide. Three levels of iron deficiency are generally identified:

(1) Storage iron depletion, in which iron stores are depleted but the functional iron supply is not limited;

(2) Early functional iron deficiency, where the supply of functional iron is low enough to impair red blood cell formation, but not low enough to cause measurable anemia; and

(3) Iron deficiency anemia, where there is inadequate iron to support normal red blood cell formation, resulting in anemia.

Most of the symptoms of iron deficiency are a result of the associated anemia, and may include fatigue, rapid heart rate, palpitations, and rapid breathing on exertion.

Iron deficiency anemia impairs athletic performance and physical work capacity in several ways. In iron deficiency anemia, the reduced hemoglobin content in red blood cells results in decreased oxygen delivery to active tissues.

Iron deficiency also decreases the oxidation capacity of the muscle. Severe iron deficiency anemia may result in brittle and spoon-shaped nails, sores at the corners of the mouth, taste bud atrophy, and a sore tongue.

In some case, advanced iron-deficiency anemia may cause difficulty in swallowing due to the formation of web tissue in the throat and the esophagus. Especially in cases like this, liquid vitamins and minerals are far superior than trying to swallow pills or capsules.

Because iron from plant foods is less efficiency absorbed than that from animal sources, the U.S Food Nutrition Board (FNB) has estimated that the bioavailability of iron from a vegetarian diet is only 10% while it is 18% from a mixed diet.

Liquid vitamins and minerals have a 90% absorption ratio, again making them an excellent supplement for iron. The amount of iron in food (or supplements) that is absorbed and used by the body is influenced by the iron nutritional status of the individual and whether or not the iron is in the form of heme.

Because it is absorbed by a different mechanism than non-heme iron, heme iron is more readily absorbed and its absorption is less affected by other dietary factors.

Heme iron comes mainly from meat, poultry, and fish. Plants, dairy products, meat, and iron salts added to foods and supplements are all sources of non-heme iron.

Food sources that are rich in iron include: Beef, chicken (dark skin), oysters, shrimp, tuna (light), black-strap molasses, raisin bran cereal, raisins (seedless), prune juice, prunes (dried), potatoes (with skin), kidney beans, lentils, and cashew nuts.

A number of iron supplements are available, and different forms provide different proportions of elemental iron.

Ferrous sulfate (heptahydrate) is 22% elemental iron; ferrous sulfate (monohydrate) is 33% elemental iron, ferrous gluconate is 12% elemental iron, and ferrous fumarate is 33% elemental iron.

There are several very good liquid vitamin and mineral supplements to choose from including the following brands:

Naturally Direct Liquid Vitamins and Iron Deficiency Anemia