Constipation & Iron Supplements

Iron is possibly one of the most forgotten and underappreciated minerals that the human body needs to function well. Without iron, you can be left feeling tired, disoriented, or even depressed. To ensure this doesn’t happen, many people take iron supplements; but you have to be careful. Too much iron can leave you on the toilet waiting for something to happen, to no avail. Too much iron can constipate!

Let’s take a look at how iron benefits the body and understand just how important this mineral is to your everyday diet.

Iron is one of the minerals found in hemoglobin—the carrier of oxygen in the blood coursing through the body’s internal “highway” system. Hemoglobin gets the oxygen everywhere it needs to be, so when you don’t have enough hemoglobin in your blood you can become anemic. Anemia causes people to feel tired, experience constant headaches, and increases their vulnerability to infection.

Iron is also extremely important for normal brain function and can help ward off depression in many cases. Iron boosts the immune system and can help alleviate weakness, irritability, and dizziness. It’s not uncommon for doctors to prescribe Iron supplements for people suffering from deficiencies of this substance. Unfortunately, too much of a good thing can be bad. Too much Iron can cause a wide range of side effects including:

• Constipation
• Abdominal pain
• Severe nausea
• Vomiting or diarrhea with blood
  

You need to contact you doctor if you experience any of these symptoms. Overdoses of Iron can also increase the risk of various cancers and even Parkinson’s disease.