Iron in Multivitamins for Men Over 50: Risks & Considerations

Iron is a vital nutrient for the growth of all cells, even bad ones like bacteria and cancer. Because only a small amount of iron from the diet is necessary, excess iron from multivitamins is stored and contributes to the production of damaging toxins called free radicals. Men need less iron than women, who are able to release excess iron via monthly menstruation. Iron stores in the body are accumulative, so that by the time a man reaches 50 he may develop hemochromatosis, iron overload disease, which increases his risk for cancer, heart attack, impotence, liver disease and arthritis.

Cancer

• Free radicals are molecules that use oxygen to oxidize, or damage, cell structure. When a cell̵7;s structure is damaged, the cell turns renegade and goes on a feeding frenzy that eventually depletes the body of all necessary nutrients until it kills its host body. This is the process of cancer. As Dr. Alex Vasquez points out on MenWeb, one of the nutrients cancer requires most is iron, so the more the body stores, the more free radicals are formed, and the higher the risk of cancer.

Heart Attack

• Toxins, or free radicals, damage cells in the bloodstream. When this happens, the blood vessels get clogged and less blood makes its way to the heart. According to Dr. Alex Vasquez and the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, excess iron in the body promotes the production of these free radicals; it is also stored in the heart muscle, which reduces the heart̵7;s efficiency.

Impotence

• Iron deposits in the pituitary gland can can lower testosterone levels, resulting in impotence.

Liver Disease

• Excess iron tends to also accumulate in the liver, leading to liver diseases, such as an enlarged liver, cirrhosis, liver failure and cancer.

Arthritis

• An overload of iron in the body may also be stored in the joints, leading to arthritis. The joints in the fingers are usually affected the most, but any joint can be involved.