Blood Builder
Although iron is necessary for our bodies, it can be harmful in large amounts. The chemical symbol for iron is Fe from the Latin ferrum, which means iron. Iron deficiency is probably the most common nutrient deficiency in the United States and the world. Iron deficiency affects about one billion people worldwide.
Iron is used to transport and store oxygen in blood and to store oxygen in muscles. Iron is useful because it has the ability both to oxidize and to reduce (the opposite of oxidize). Oxidation describes the loss of an electron. Just the opposite, reduction is the gaining of an electron. One of the uses of iron in the body is in the electron transport chain, which is the principal source of energy in cells.
Iron transports electrons by accepting and releasing them in this electron transport chain. Iron in the cells is normally bound to proteins. If iron is found free within the cell, it can cause oxidation and free radical damage.
Iron has several vitally important roles in the body. Iron is needed for the synthesis of DNA. This synthesis of DNA is vital to support growth, healing, reproduction, and immune function. Iron is also required by enzymes involved in synthesizing collagen, neurotransmitters, and hormones.
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