Iron helps maintain healthy blood in your body by assisting in the creation of hemoglobin in red blood cells. This acts as a catalyst to help your blood to transport oxygen. You normally get iron in your diet by eating meat, poultry, fish, beans and other food. If you do not ingest enough iron, you risk anemia, a condition in which your body does not receive enough oxygen. You should consult a physician before using an iron supplement because of its potential overdose side effects.
Diarrhea
You may begin to notice problems associated with taking too much iron in your system with an early symptom of diarrhea, MayoClinic.com reports. You may get the normal type of diarrhea in which your stools become loose or more liquid than normal, and you get cramps in your abdomen. You also may notice your stools change color, appearing black or red. This means your stools contain blood. MayoClinic.com recommends getting to an emergency room near your for treatment for an iron overdose if you notice this side effect.
Vomiting
Too much iron in your body may make you feel very nauseous and produce potentially severe vomiting, Drugs.com notes. Your vomit may contain blood. This blood may appear because your body may produce too much hemoglobin with too much iron in your system. Seek emergency medical treatment immediately.
Seizures
If you have continued to take large doses of iron even after initial signs of an overdose appear, your brain may become affected. Your brain may, essentially, short-circuit in its normal electrical activity. This can cause seizures. Seizures may take many forms, but those associated with an iron overdose typically occur as convulsions, MayoClinic.com reports. Convulsions may force a loss of consciousness to occur while your body jerks and twists uncontrollably. You will need emergency room treatment if you go into convulsions. Call an ambulance.
Hemochromatosis
The University of Maryland Medical Center states that while you normally would inherit a condition known as hemochromatosis, you may develop it if you take too much iron into your body, usually for a prolonged period. You may see signs of hemochromatosis with such symptoms as the development of diabetes, damage to your liver and discoloration of your skin. You will need immediate medical attention.
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