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home - Nutrition - Minerals - Iron Written by Dr Sebastian Zeki

Iron

Iron Metabolism Dietary sources:Non-haem iron from vegetables- this is well absorbed.Haem iron from meat, poultry, and fish. Biological roles:Enzyme cofactorsFerritin and hemosiderin (a complex ferritin breakdown product)-25%.Heemoglobin (the oxygen transport protein), but others include myoglobin (an oxygen storage protein in tissues), cytochrome c (electron transport), cytochrome P450, and peroxidases. Once absorbed, iron is bound to a specific transport protein, transferrin, from which it is readily taken up by the bone marrow. Non-heme iron is absorbed throughout the small intestine, especially in the duodenum Non-transferrin bound iron is readily taken up by the liver, by evolutionar-ily primate mechanisms. Factors to increase absorption:Vitamin C and certain amino acids. 1-2mg/day Heme iron is absorbed about twice as well as non-heme iron, and its absorption is unaffected by iron status. Transferrin Fe2+ Fe3+ DMT1 DCYTB Ferritin Ferroportin Hephaestin Fe2+ Fe2+ Fe2+ Fe3+ Bone marrow Haemoglobin Reticulo-endothelial Inhibited by calcium, phytic acid, and tannates. Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (the rate limiting step in gluconeogenesis), Ribonucleotide reductase (DNA and RNA synthesis), and Aconitase (a component of the tricarboxylic acid cycle).Aldehyde oxidase, NADH dehydrogenase, Tryptophan hydroxylase, Succinic dehydrogenase, Xanthine oxidase. Written by Dr Sebastian Zeki

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