Iron is an essential dietary mineral that plays vital roles in blood oxygenation and cell growth and differentiation. Dietary iron occurs in two forms: heme iron, found in animal food products, and non-heme iron, found in plant-based foods. The body absorbs heme iron more easily than non-heme iron. The recommended dietary allowance of iron is 18 mg for adult females ages 19 to 50 and 8 mg for all adult males and adult females over age 50. Rich sources of iron include chicken liver, shellfish, beef, legumes and green leafy vegetables. Supplemental iron is also readily available over the counter.
Significance
Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in the world, affecting as much as 80 percent of the world's population, according to the National institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. While iron deficiency is rare among adult males and postmenopausal women in the Western world, it is relatively common among infants, toddlers, teenage girls and women of childbearing age.
Because iron deficiency is relatively common, a significant number of people take either over-the-counter or prescription iron supplements. Accidental iron overdose due to the consumption of iron-containing multivitamins, over-the-counter iron supplements or prescription iron supplements is the single leading cause of poisoning deaths in children under age six, according to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University.
Considerations
Iron toxicity due to supplementation is relatively rare in adults except for those suffering from certain genetic diseases that increase the body's ability to store iron and reduce the body's ability to excrete it. While most individuals absorb approximately 10 percent of the dietary iron they consume, people who suffer from hemochromatosis absorb up to 30 percent. Eventually, they have iron stores in their liver, heart and pancreas of between five and 20 times normal, which can cause severe organ damage, including liver damage, according to the National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. If left untreated, the disease can progress to organ failure. Certain hereditary non-iron deficiency anemias also cause the body to absorb and retain more iron in an attempt to make more red blood cells.
Time Frame
Symptoms of iron toxicity develop in stages. Between one and six hours after overdose, symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, tarry stools, lethargy, weak and rapid pulse, low blood pressure, fever, difficulty breathing and coma. If the patient survives this period, symptoms often improve for up to 24 hours, but can return anywhere from 12 to 48 hours after initial ingestion and worsen to include cardiovascular, kidney, liver, hematological and central nervous system failure. If the patient survives, permanent long-term damage that develops anywhere from two to six weeks after the initial overdose can include cirrhosis of the liver and central nervous system and gastrointestinal damage, according to the Linus Pauling Institute.
Solution
Always check with your physician before taking iron supplements, and contact your physician if you have any of the symptoms of iron toxicity. Keep all supplements and both over-the-counter and prescription medications away from children.
Warning
If you suspect your child has consumed a multivitamin or supplement containing iron, contact your physician or local poison control center immediately or take your child directly to the emergency room.
