PCRM Warns That This Popular Mineral Supplement Can ‘Damage’ Brain
“Improves memory.” “Sharpens focus.” These are just some of the claims you may see on the supplements that 25% of adults over age 50 are taking to try to keep their brains healthy. Do these products work? It’s often unclear, as the FDA doesn’t require makers to prove the supplements are effective, as long they don’t make any claims about specific diseases.
However, according to a review by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), you should “avoid” supplements that contain iron because they can “harm” brain health.
Iron supplements, also known as iron salts and iron pills, are a number of iron formulations used to treat and prevent iron deficiency including iron deficiency anemia. For prevention, they are only recommended in those with poor absorption, heavy menstrual periods, pregnancy, hemodialysis, or a diet low in iron.
According to PCRM, increasing levels of iron in the brain is a known feature of aging and some diseases of the brain. This has raised concerns that changes in iron levels could increase a person’s risk of dementia.
“There is conflicting evidence as to whether changes in blood iron levels increase a person’s risk of developing dementia, but researchers have discovered a relationship between increased iron in the brain and a worsening of symptoms,” reports Alzheimer’s Research UK.
Other health bodies have also raised concerns, but are similarly reluctant to draw conclusions.
The current research shows that there is likely to be a relationship between naturally-occurring metals and the development or progression of Alzheimer’s disease, says the Alzheimer’s Society (AS).
The AS continues: “It is also unclear whether reducing metals in the brain via drugs or reducing our exposure would have any effect.
“These metals are essential to the healthy function of our brain, so further research into changes before or during disease development is also necessary to understand if reducing the amount in the brain would actually be beneficial.”
How much iron do I need?
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for adults 19-50 years is 8 mg daily for men, 18 mg for women, 27 mg for pregnancy, and 9 mg for lactation. The higher amounts in women and pregnancy are due to blood loss through menstruation and because of the rapid growth of the fetus requiring extra blood circulation during pregnancy.
Adolescents 14-18 years actively growing also need higher iron: 11 mg for boys, 15 mg for girls, 27 mg for pregnancy, and 10 mg for lactation. The RDA for women 51+ years drops to 8 mg with the assumption that cessation of menstruation has occurred with menopause. It may be noted that menopause occurs later for some women, so they should continue to follow the RDA for younger women until menopause is confirmed.
The Tolerable Upper Intake Level is the maximum daily intake unlikely to cause harmful effects on health. The UL for iron is 45 mg daily for all males and females ages 14+ years. For younger ages, the UL is 40 mg.
