Iron In The Fire

While preparing yesterday's e-Alert ("Working Dark Wonders" 6/2/03), which mentioned the subject of anemia in passing, I came across a study that may provide an important new insight as to why anemia should be considered a critical health concern for everyone over the age of 50 - especially those who are taking prescription drugs. Serious business Red blood cells deliver oxygen from the lungs to the tissues throughout the body. Anemia occurs when the red blood cell count becomes depleted, resulting in fatigue, weakness, and hair loss in extreme cases. The two primary causes of anemia are iron-poor blood (often triggered by menstruation or internal bleeding), and a deficiency in two critical vitamins: folic acid and vitamin B-12. Getting good amounts of these nutrients is very important for seniors because as we age our ability to absorb vitamins from food diminishes. Consequently, our tendency to develop anemia rises. Unfortunately this absorption problem is just the first link in a chain of events that adds up to a health issue that's far more serious than simple fatigue. Rx to avoid In an HSI Members Alert we sent you in September 1999, we told you how pharmaceuticals interfere with the absorption of nutrients. For instance, acid blockers (such as Prilosec, Nexium, etc.) have been shown to significantly decrease absorption of vitamin B-12 - one of the primary vitamins needed to prevent anemia. Other medications that are known to play a role in nutrient depletion are among the most frequently prescribed medications on the market. Antibiotics, anti-depressants, anti-inflammatories, blood pressure medications, cholesterol-lowering drugs, estrogen, and tranquilizers can all strip valuable vitamins and minerals from the body. And when any of these drugs are combined - especially in an older patient - the risk of developing anemia rises. And now it seems that this chain of events is being rushed along more quickly than ever. A recent study conducted by Medco Health Solutions, Inc., (a company that manages drug benefit plans) concluded with this shocking statistic: the average senior receives 25 prescriptions annually - a 100 percent jump from just four years ago! So as the over-medication of seniors grows at an alarming rate, we see two serious problems becoming even greater health threats: 1) the wider variety of drug intake creates conflicting side effects (and as we've seen before, many doctors treat drug side effects with other types of drugs), and 2) these potent drug mixes rob patients of the very nutrients they need most when fighting an illness. The final link But the chain of events just keeps getting worse. Many mainstream doctors see so many elderly patients who have anemia that the condition is widely regarded - somewhat lightly - as a normal part of aging. As a result, when anemia is diagnosed it often goes untreated. This is a critical mistake because in recent years, research has shown that anemia dramatically increases the risk of mortality for those with chronic health problems such as heart disease. At the same time, anemia can also promote cancer, which thrives in a cellular environment that's starved of oxygen. So, as critical a health concern as anemia is for any patient, it's especially important for seniors, because as we age, anemia creates an even greater risk of complicating chronic diseases that lead to mortality. Easy on the iron Anemia is easily diagnosed with a typical blood test, so ask your doctor to check your next blood test for a reading of your red cell blood count - especially if you're feeling unusually fatigued. If you do have an anemic condition, the next step is to find out the cause. If your doctor downplays anemia's importance, or if he recommends a prescription drug to address the problem, you should get a second opinion. In yesterday's e-Alert I told you about an herbal formulation from Japan - called Juzen-taiho-to - that can ease anemia, fatigue and circulatory problems. Cancer patients take it to lessen the adverse side effects of chemotherapy and radiation, which seriously deplete nutrients and promote anemia. But when it comes to treating anemia, you simply can't go wrong with the right nutrition and supplements. Obviously, high doses of B-12 and folic acid supplements can be helpful, but not necessarily iron supplements. HSI Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D., feels that with most supplements the recommended daily allowance (RDA) is much too low - but not so with iron which can create problems in high doses. Dr. Spreen says, "The RDA of iron is far too high. Plus, even if you were proven to have anemia I wouldn't treat it with inorganic iron. The mineral is too reactive in the body when it is not insulated from the system by being encased within the heme structure of hemoglobin. Free radical formation from free iron is just too much of a threat." Dietary sources of heme iron come exclusively from red meat, fish, pork, and poultry, with beef liver and chicken liver having the highest amounts of iron. An additional intake of vitamin C can also help the body absorb iron. And finally, you'll be doing your body and red blood cells a big favor by talking to your doctor about discontinuing the use of any synthetic drugs that aren't absolutely necessary. …and another thing When you put fruits or vegetables into sealed cans, nutrients are immediately lost through the heat required for processing. But what if you do it yourself at home? An HSI member named Kathy recently sent an e-mail with this and other questions about home processing. Kathy writes: "I agree that fresh fruits and vegetables are better for us all, but what about homecanned veggies? We have a totally organic garden. No nasty chemicals have been put on that garden area in a good 15-20 years, and we are blessed with some of the biggest, best tasting tomatoes (peas, green beans, cucumbers, cantaloupe, onions, peppers of all sorts, etc.) in our area. We usually eat the peas fresh (often raw) right from the garden, and can mostly the green beans and tomatoes. How much nutrition am I losing by canning (and storing) these veggies? I know the heat destroys some nutrients during the canning process, but in the long run am I not better off eating my canned organic veggies than buying what's available at the local store?" I asked HSI Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D., to answer Kathy's question, and it appears that the subject made him hungry: "Eating right out of the garden, as Kathy does, is the way we ate for however long we've been around this rock, until the very recent advent of our modern 'civilized' diet. Eating fresh, RIPE, (often raw) foods mere minutes from being picked maintains vitality that is missing from the grocery store. The fact that someone's doing everything organically adds more icing to the cake. "Bear in mind that the argument of frozen foods being better than 'fresh' to the grocer has some legitimacy to it. Now that foods are shipped up to thousands of miles before reaching the customer they MUST be picked green (or unripe). This stops the addition of nutrients that would have occurred between the picking time and the ripening time. Frozen foods are picked ripe and processed on-site; hence the argument that they may be even better than 'fresh.' This obviously does not apply to the current question, where mere minutes have elapsed between picking and eating, and of course nobody would be picking unripe produce in such a situation. "The question of canning such foods becomes more difficult. I think the point about heat is the only consideration, and it depends on the food (and the nutrients it contains) as to how much damage is done to enzymes, vitamins, and phytonutrients contained within. "At least we know that such 'plant-goodies' were in there to begin with. The food is ripe, raw, organic, and freshly picked, which is as good as it gets. How much is lost during canning is basically academic - you've got the best you're going to get there, in my opinion." Dr. Spreen added this P.S. for Kathy: "Can I come for Thanksgiving?…and Easter…and Christmas…and…" Kathy, it sounds like you may have gotten more than you bargained for. To Your Good Health, Jenny Thompson Health Sciences Institute Sources: "New Data Uncovers Medication Matrix: Multiple Physicians, Pharmacies and Drugs Over-Medicate Seniors; Drive Higher Costs" Press Release, Medco Health Solutions, Inc., 5/21/03, businesswire.com "Dying From Neglect" William Faloon, Life Extension Magazine, March 2002, lef.org "Dietary Sources of Iron" McKinley Health Center, mckinley.uiuc.edu