Iron: Minerals play an important role in the stable functioning of body. Minerals are inorganic substances that are found in several natural elements. Iron is an essential mineral. Other important minerals include sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. Minerals are basically of two types called called “macrominerals,” and “trace minerals” Macro minerals are calcium, chlorine, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, sulfur, and sodium. The trace minerals include iron, zinc, copper, iodine, fluoride, chromium, selenium, manganese, and molybdenum.
Importance of Iron for body
The trace minerals can be received by the way of diet. Trace elements like iron help in the perfect functioning of various body organs. Trace elements aid in bone structure, metabolic reactions, development of body cells, muscle movements and formation of compounds like vitamins, hormones, blood and hormones. Iron is required ten milligrams per day foe the perfect nutrition of the body. Iron is very essential to form blood hemoglobin. Haemoglobin molecule supplies oxygen in the bloodstream. Haemoglobin is also a part of cytochrome that is instrumental for cell respiration. It is also indispensable for the formation of myoglobin in muscles.
Iron forms part of several enzymes and proteins. We cannot take irons directly from nature. Iron is available in particular foods in specific amounts. Our body absorbs iron with a particular food. Iron is stored in the center of metalloproteins in cells. Iron is present in animals, plants, and fungi in the heme complex. Heme is an essential element of cytochrome proteins, which execute redox reactions in the cells. hemoglobin, leghemoglobin and myoglobin are some oxygen carrier proteins. Inorganic iron performs redox reactions in iron-sulfur groupings of various enzymes, like nitrogenase and hydrogenase. Non-heme iron proteins comprise enzymes like ribonucleotide reductase, methane monooxygenase, chelerythrine and purple acid phosphatase.
Source of taking iron
Iron is available in several foods. You should consume the foods in a balanced proportion to get proper nutrition. The foods that help in building iron in the body are cheese, milk, yogurt, sardines, salmon with bones, red meat, lentils, beans, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, fish cod liver, leafy vegetables, spinaches, potatoes and corn tortillas. Iron is available in various dietary elements in the form of fumarate. Irons are easily absorbed when clustered with amino acids.
Effects of Iron
Excessive intake of iron can be harmful to the body. The ferrous iron molecules in the iron react with peroxides and produce free radicals. These are very reactive and have the capability to damage DNA, proteins, lipids, and other cell compositions. Iron becomes toxic with the presence of excessive iron in the cell. This happens when iron levels exceed in the blood. Excessive iron can damage the cells of the gastrointestinal tract preventing them from steady absorption of iron. High levels of iron can also damage cells in the heart and liver. Overconsumption of ferrous sulfate tablets may increase the iron level in the blood cells leading to serious diseases and even death.
Read also: Minerals in Diet: Examples minerals in diet
