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Can Too Much Iron Increase Risk of Diabetes?

Aired February 18, 2004 - 06:50   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: A bit of health news for you. Can too much iron increase your risk of diabetes? Maybe.
Our nutritionist in residence, so to speak, Lisa Drayer, joins live from New York to talk more about that.

Good morning, Lisa.

Tell us about that.

LISA DRAYER, NUTRITIONIST: Sure.

Good morning, Carol.

Well, individuals with hemachromotosis -- this is a disorder characterized by excessive iron absorption in the body. It's a heredity condition. These individuals are at greater risk for diabetes. The theory is that excess iron causes damage to pancreatic cells that secrete insulin, which is the hormone that controls blood sugar.

Well now, researchers from Harvard looked at over 32,000 women with normal iron levels. But they found that the greater the level of iron, the greater the risk of diabetes. In fact, those who had the highest levels of ferotin -- this is the protein that carries the iron -- had three times the risk of diabetes as compared to women with the lowest levels of iron in their blood.

COSTELLO: Wow. So what foods do you eat to acquire too much iron in your diet?

DRAYER: Right. There are factors that can increase iron absorption. For example, red meat is an excellent source of iron, so if you are at risk for this condition, you want to stay away from too much red meat. It's also high in saturated fat. Also, alcohol. Research has suggested that more than three alcoholic beverages per day can enhance iron absorption. Of course, iron supplements, as well, and Vitamin C supplements. The C actually enhances iron absorption. So we're talking about high doses is probably not a good idea.

COSTELLO: Yes, but, you know, on the other hand, some people need iron in their diet, don't they?

DRAYER: Absolutely, Carol. And some groups are at high risk for iron deficiency, for example, pre-menopausal women who lose blood during menstruation, pregnant women who have increased iron needs due to the demands of the fetus, children who are growing require more iron and not getting enough may lead to learning problems, dieters who restrict their food intake may not get enough, vegetarians may be at risk because animal foods are the best sources of iron and endurance athletes -- this is really interesting -- particularly females, are known to be, that is, they have a risk of being deficient in iron. Perhaps too much iron is lost in the sweat or there's a theory that pounding on the ground can actually destroy the red blood cells, which carry iron.

COSTELLO: You're kidding?

DRAYER: No.

COSTELLO: Oh, that is bizarre.

DRAYER: Right.

COSTELLO: So how do you know when you're getting enough iron or more than enough iron or?

DRAYER: Well, sure. Well, you can take a blood test, although researchers are not suggesting that people go out and get tested for these ferotin levels. But if you are at high risk it's really important to be conscious of getting enough iron. Heme (ph) iron is found in chicken, fish, lean protein sources, is the best absorbed; plant sources of iron like that found in beans, also peanut butter, eggs. This is non-heme iron. It's not as well absorbed. But a little bit of orange juice can help the absorption. And cooking in cast iron pans -- the iron actually leaches from the pan into the food and the food can actually absorb a lot of this iron, especially tomato sauce. That's been known to really catch onto that iron from the pot.

COSTELLO: All right, Lisa Drayer live from New York this morning.

Thank you.

DRAYER: Thanks.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired February 18, 2004 - 06:50   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: A bit of health news for you. Can too much iron increase your risk of diabetes? Maybe.
Our nutritionist in residence, so to speak, Lisa Drayer, joins live from New York to talk more about that.

Good morning, Lisa.

Tell us about that.

LISA DRAYER, NUTRITIONIST: Sure.

Good morning, Carol.

Well, individuals with hemachromotosis -- this is a disorder characterized by excessive iron absorption in the body. It's a heredity condition. These individuals are at greater risk for diabetes. The theory is that excess iron causes damage to pancreatic cells that secrete insulin, which is the hormone that controls blood sugar.

Well now, researchers from Harvard looked at over 32,000 women with normal iron levels. But they found that the greater the level of iron, the greater the risk of diabetes. In fact, those who had the highest levels of ferotin -- this is the protein that carries the iron -- had three times the risk of diabetes as compared to women with the lowest levels of iron in their blood.

COSTELLO: Wow. So what foods do you eat to acquire too much iron in your diet?

DRAYER: Right. There are factors that can increase iron absorption. For example, red meat is an excellent source of iron, so if you are at risk for this condition, you want to stay away from too much red meat. It's also high in saturated fat. Also, alcohol. Research has suggested that more than three alcoholic beverages per day can enhance iron absorption. Of course, iron supplements, as well, and Vitamin C supplements. The C actually enhances iron absorption. So we're talking about high doses is probably not a good idea.

COSTELLO: Yes, but, you know, on the other hand, some people need iron in their diet, don't they?

DRAYER: Absolutely, Carol. And some groups are at high risk for iron deficiency, for example, pre-menopausal women who lose blood during menstruation, pregnant women who have increased iron needs due to the demands of the fetus, children who are growing require more iron and not getting enough may lead to learning problems, dieters who restrict their food intake may not get enough, vegetarians may be at risk because animal foods are the best sources of iron and endurance athletes -- this is really interesting -- particularly females, are known to be, that is, they have a risk of being deficient in iron. Perhaps too much iron is lost in the sweat or there's a theory that pounding on the ground can actually destroy the red blood cells, which carry iron.

COSTELLO: You're kidding?

DRAYER: No.

COSTELLO: Oh, that is bizarre.

DRAYER: Right.

COSTELLO: So how do you know when you're getting enough iron or more than enough iron or?

DRAYER: Well, sure. Well, you can take a blood test, although researchers are not suggesting that people go out and get tested for these ferotin levels. But if you are at high risk it's really important to be conscious of getting enough iron. Heme (ph) iron is found in chicken, fish, lean protein sources, is the best absorbed; plant sources of iron like that found in beans, also peanut butter, eggs. This is non-heme iron. It's not as well absorbed. But a little bit of orange juice can help the absorption. And cooking in cast iron pans -- the iron actually leaches from the pan into the food and the food can actually absorb a lot of this iron, especially tomato sauce. That's been known to really catch onto that iron from the pot.

COSTELLO: All right, Lisa Drayer live from New York this morning.

Thank you.

DRAYER: Thanks.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com