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Can Too Much Iron Be Bad for You? Scientists have long known that too much iron can contribute to clogging of the arteries and thus be a cause of heart attacks and strokes. It is one of the reasons why women have a lower incidence of coronary heart disease than men—prior to menopause. Menopausal women lose blood (and thereby iron) each month with their menstrual periods. Unfortunately, after menopause, women no longer discharge blood and iron on a regular basis, and iron can rapidly accumulate in their tissues, giving them no advantage over men. The answer to the question, Can too much iron be bad for you, is a definite yes. Because we live in a time of food additives, we be getting much more iron than is necessary, and indeed be toxic for us. Many cereals, for example, contain all the iron that is required daily—in just one serving. But a careful reading of cereal boxes can steer you away from the cereals with such high amounts of iron. Some cereals contain as little as 10 to 25% of the recommended daily allowance of iron. There are even some multivitamins available today that are iron free. You are probably getting enough iron in the natural food you normally eat, so adding it artificially actually be more dangerous than helpful. Probably the only reason for people to take iron artificially is if their doctor prescribes it because of a clinically demonstrated iron deficiency. This is particularly true if you smoke, have diabetes, or suffer from high cholesterol levels. So, do yourself a favor and start reading labels. Sometimes too much of a good thing is a bad thing. Janelle Barlow, President
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