2. IRON IN HEALTH AND DISEASE

3. Surah 57. Al-Hadid (The Iron) Aya: 25

4. Surah 57. Al-Hadid (The Iron) Aya: 25

5. We have indeed sent Our messengers with clear evidences and sent down with them the Scripture and the balance that the people may maintain (their affairs) in justice. And we sent down iron, where in is great military might and benefits for the people, and so that Allah may make evident those who support Him and His messengers unseen. Indeed, Allah is powerful and Exalted in Might.

6. Learning Objectives Distribution Daily Requirements Dietary sources
Important functions
Absorption & Metabolism
Deficiency diseases

7. Introduction
It is an established fact now that :
Deficiency or over exposure to various elements constitute a threat to human health.
Iron can form free radicals, its concentration in body tissues must be tightly regulated .
In excessive amounts, it can lead to tissue damage.

8. Disorders of iron metabolism are among the most common diseases of humans and encompass a broad spectrum of diseases with diverse clinical manifestations.
Ranging from anemia to iron overload, and possibly to neurodegenerative diseases.

9. Factors and actors
Element’s effect is determined by many factors, including availability in diet, absorption, metabolism, and its interaction with other processes.

10. Iron is an essential trace element for almost all living organisms.
It participates in a wide variety of metabolic processes, including O2 and CO2 transport, DNA synthesis, and electron transport.

11. IRON Called by Egyptians as “Heavenly metal”.
Used as medicine around 1500 B.C. for the treatment of parasitic infection and a variety of other ailments.
Quran describes it as a means of power.
One of the most plentiful elements on earth.
5% of earth crust, still its deficiency a common health problem

12. IRON
18th Century: presence was demonstrated in animal tissues and blood.
20th Century: Much learnt about iron & its interaction with other elements.

13. At. No IRON At. Mass 56

14. IRON ( Al-Hadeed) At. No. 26 & At.W. 56 Aya No. 25 & Sura No. 57

15. DISTRIBUTION 4 grams of Fe ,on an average in human body
3 grams in active or functional form and
1 gram in storage or transport form.

16. Distribution of Iron in human body
Hemoglobin 66%
Myoglobin 03%
Other body cells 05%
Enzymes 01%
Ferritin (store) 25%

17. Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)
Infants 0 – 0.5 = 10 mg
0.5 – = 15 mg
Children 1 – 3 = 15 mg
4 – 6 = 10 mg
7 – 10 = 10 mg

18. Iron RDA Age Male Female 11 – 14 18 mg 15 – 18 19 – 22 10 mg 23 – 50
51 +

19. Major Dietary sources Red meat, Liver and Eggs
Green Vegetables and , Cereals
Apple, Nuts, Peaches and Dry fruits
Iron from cooking utensils, made of iron

20. FUNCTIONS Essential elements in the daily diet.
Vital role in O2 transport and energy production.
Exclusively involved in the uptake and release of O2 at cellular level.

21. FUNCTIONS Shuttles O2 from lungs to all other tissues and
CO2 back from tissues to lungs.
Ability of Hb molecule to take up O2 and release CO2, is dependent on presence of Fe in Hb.
Without Fe, the Hb. molecule cannot perform this function.
The cytochrome enzyme system functions in energy production.

22. FUNCTIONS
Active part is mostly in Porphyrin and forms an integral part of Hb and Myoglobin,
In RBCs enzymes cytochrome, oxidase, catalase and peroxidases .

23. FUNCTIONS
Myoglobin works on similar principle but performs in muscles only.

24. Absorption and Metabolism

25. METABOLISM
Fe++ is absorbed from intestinal lumen into the cells of intestinal mucosa.
Here Fe++ is oxidized to Fe+++
Combines with proteins Apoferritin.
Iron – protein complex, Ferritin and stored.

26. EXCRETION Iron is unique among mineral elements.
There is no physiologic mechanism for regulating its increase or decrease excretion.
Balance is mainly controlled at the site of intestinal absorption.

28. Iron Absorption Absorption is influenced by the amount present
in the diet / food
that increase or decrease the availability of iron for absorption.
Primary regulator of iron homeostasis
1-50% of iron is absorbed.
If body needs more iron, it increases amount of “transferrin” an iron carrying protein.
Iron can also be stored in another protein called “ferritin”

29. Iron Absorption

31. Enterocyte Gut ABSORPTION OF IRON Fe+++ Ferritin Fe++ Tf-Fe+++ Fe++
Haem Tf

32. BODY IRON CYCLING