Iron (Labkit)

Ferrozine | Colorimetric

Product description:

The body requires iron for the synthesis of its oxygen transport proteins, in particular hemoglobin and myoglobin, and for the formation of heme enzymes and other iron-containing enzymes involved in electron transfer and oxidation-reductions. Almost two-thirds of the body iron is found in the hemoglobin, 25% is contained in a readily movable iron store, and the remaining 15% is bound to myoglobin in muscle tissue and in a variety of enzymes involved in the oxidative metabolism and many other cell functions. Iron is recycled and thus conserved by the body.

Iron is bound and transported in the body via transferrin and stored in ferritin molecules. Since iron is required for a number of diverse cellular functions, a constant balance between iron uptake, transport, storage, and utilization is required to maintain iron homeostasis. As the body lacks a defined mechanism for the active excretion of iron, iron balance is mainly regulated at the point of absorption by a circulating peptide hormone hepcidin. Once iron is absorbed, there is no physiologic mechanism for excretion of excess iron from the body other than blood loss ex. pregnancy, menstruation, or bleeding.

The primary causes of iron deficiency include low intake of bioavailable iron, increased iron requirements as a result of rapid growth, pregnancy, menstruation, and excess blood loss caused by pathologic infections, such as hook worm and whipworm causing gastrointestinal blood loss and impaired absorption of iron. The frequency of iron deficiency rises in female adolescents because menstrual iron losses are superimposed with needs for rapid growth. Nutritional iron deficiency arises when physiological requirements cannot be met by iron absorption from the diet.