Iron a major culprit in Heart Disease?

Are we rusting to death?

In an Oct 2002 health article, CNN.com reported that high levels of iron in the blood apparently contribute to heart disease. The iron is an oxidant, and in clinical tests was shown to damage the artery lining of healthy men, while removing iron was shown to improve the health of the artery lining of men with heart disease.

Premenopausal women may have an edge in avoiding heart disease exactly because they lose blood -- and hence iron -- every month. The fact that this edge disappears at menopause strengthens the argument.

The study was conducted by Dr. Hidehiro Matsuoka, chief of the division of hypertension at the Kurume Medical School in Kurume, Japan.

"Our study shows that we should recognize iron as a risk factor for atherosclerosis and understand the need to control our body iron levels to prevent cardiovascular disease," Matsuoka said in a statement.

The well-known correlation between heart disease and the consumption of red meat, a rich source of iron, adds further weight to the argument.

PL

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