Middle-aged or older women and men from 19 to 75 show signs of over-consumption of iron, a Health Promotional Administration (HPA) poll showed, prompting nutritionists to warn that the behavior could lead to cancer.
The poll, conducted from 2013 to 2016 and made public on June 3, showed that male respondents exceeded the daily recommended intake of iron by 133 to 169 percent, while women aged 45 to 75 were over-consuming by 116 to 123 percent.
Seventy-three percent of female respondents aged 13 to 44 showed signs of iron deficiency, or anemia, which Taipei Postal Hospital nutritionist Huang Shu-hui (黃淑惠) said could be due to menstruation.
The poll showed that anemia affected 23 percent of women aged 19 to 44 and 15 percent of those aged 45 to 64, Huang said, adding that this was evidence that women entering menopause are not as affected by anemia.
Anemia rates among men aged 19 to 74 was less than 5 percent, so there is little need for them to take iron supplements, she said.
The human body requires iron to metabolize nutrients and enzymes, but too much ferritin — a protein that stores iron — can damage genes and increase free radicals in the body, which can lead to tumors and cancer, she said.
Studies on lymphoma, cervical cancer and oral cancer have led to warnings against over-consumption of iron, Huang added.
National Health Research Institute professor Wen Chi-pang (溫啟邦) said that over-consumption of iron can also lead to liver cancer, as the organ metabolizes iron.
One-third of males and one-fifth of women had high blood iron readings, Wen said, citing a study he conducted from 1997 to 2008 that analyzed blood from 300,000 people.
The menstrual cycle can help women get rid of excess iron, but men usually retain it, he said.
Donating blood can help rid the body of excess iron, he said.
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