Adult men should consume 8 mg of iron on a daily basis to keep their bodies functioning at an optimal level. Common sources of iron include iron-rich foods, such as beef, oatmeal, beans and spinach, and iron supplements. Health professionals with the Office of Dietary Supplements warn that men should not ingest more than 45 mg of iron each day in order to avoid accumulating excess and potentially toxic blood levels of iron.
Causes
Men who receive treatment for congenital or chronic forms of anemia may be at risk of developing chronic iron overload. Anemia is a condition in which the body doesn't produce adequate levels of red blood cells and is typically treated with repeated blood transfusions or iron supplements. Receiving several units of blood during a blood transfusion may significantly elevate your iron levels because each unit of blood used for a blood transfusion contains 250 mg of iron, the University of Utah Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library reports. You may also be at risk of developing iron toxicity if you use iron supplements excessively or improperly. Alternatively, men who drink alcohol excessively may experience liver damage, which may also cause excess iron accumulation in the body.
Symptoms
Symptoms associated with elevated iron levels include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, diminished appetite and a metallic taste in your mouth. Iron may also damage your digestive tract, which may lead to the appearance of blood in your vomit or stools. Excessive iron consumption may also affect the way your nervous system works, causing symptoms of lethargy, convulsions, dizziness, fever or fatigue, according to MedlinePlus. You may also notice that your lips or fingernails appear bluish in color or your skin may become unusually pale. If you exhibit any of these iron overdose symptoms, seek medical care as soon as possible. Without proper medical treatment, excessive iron consumption may induce fatal complications.
Medical Complications
Liver damage, respiratory distress, coma or shock may occur as severe complications following exposure to too much iron. Fluid may accumulate in your lungs, leading to shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. Your blood pressure may also drop suddenly, which may lead to a potentially life-threatening condition called shock.
Treatment
Removing excess iron from your blood typically involves treatment with a medication such as deferoximine, a type of chelating agent, the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library explains. Chelating agents bind to iron and are excreted from your body in the form of urine. If you take an overdose of iron supplement, you may need to undergo gastric lavage. During this procedure, a health care professional places a tube into your stomach through your mouth. Your doctor can then remove the excess iron in your stomach through the gastric tube.
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