Iron deficiency COPY Flashcards
What is the largest store of iron?
Haemoglobin
What is the easiest way to detect iron deficiency?
Check the blood
Where is iron in the structure of haemoglobin?
In the centre of the haem group
What is the typical structure of haemoglobin?
4 haem groups with a globin chain associated to each haem group
What makes up the haem ring around the iron in the centre?
Carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen atoms
What is the daily required amount of iron?
20mg
Where does most of this iron come from?
It is much more than the amount that you consume so most of it is recycled
How is iron lost from the body?
Desquamated cells of the skin and gut
Bleeding
Menstruation- one of biggest causes in women
How much iron is in the diet per day?
12-15mg
What foods contain iron?
Meat and fish- haem iron
Vegetables
Whole grain cereal
Chocolate
What happens to most iron that is eaten and why?
It isn’t absorbed because the body can’t absorb ferric iron, only ferrous iron
What can affect the absorption of iron from the diet
Orange juice helps
Cups of tea will convert into ferric form
What factors will increase iron absorption?
Iron deficiency
Anaemia/hypoxia
Pregnancy
What happens to iron when it reaches the gut?
It will pass into epithelial cells but then there is control across the basement membrane of the epithelial cell
What do you need at the basement membrane of the epithelial cells to translate iron into the blood?
Ferroportin
What is hepcidin?
Regulator of the entry of iron into circulation