The One Mineral Destroying Your Heart
Increases heart risk by 26 percent
If it seems like I talk a lot about heart disease, it’s because I do.
As long as it remains the number one killer in the US—not to mention the world—I’ll be sharing all of the latest scientific studies that tell us two things:
- What to avoid that increases your risk
- What you can do to decrease your risk
When you do enough of both factors together, your ticker will be in tip-top shape.
Today I’m focusing on what to AVOID.
It’s a mineral that can increase your risk of developing heart disease—or dying from it—by 25 percent or more.
Iron deficiency is one of the most common dietary issues facing the public, according to the Mayo Clinic.
And that’s a major problem, because a deficiency in iron can spell disaster for your heart.
According to a recent study, functional iron deficiency was associated with the following:
- 26 percent increased risk of death due to cardiovascular disease
- 24 percent increased risk of coronary heart disease
- 12 percent increased risk of dying from any cause at all
This study was different from other previous studies because it took into account absolute iron deficiency AND functional iron deficiency.
Absolute status is the traditional way of gauging iron stores. The problem is that this type of test doesn’t take circulating iron into account.
Functional status considers functional stores AND whether there’s enough iron circulating in your blood to work properly.
The study showed that 64 percent of the adults had functional iron deficiency.
It also showed that these individuals were more likely to develop heart disease—and more likely to die—over the 13 years of the study period.
It makes sense that an iron deficiency would be hard on your heart.
Iron deficiency can lead to anemia, which occurs when your body doesn’t produce enough red blood cells to carry oxygen to your body’s tissues.
This makes your heart pump extra hard to compensate, which can wear it out over time.
You can find out your iron status through a blood test. In the meantime, here are some signs you could be deficient:
- Unusually tired
- Pale skin
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pains
- Fast or irregular heartbeat
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Cold hands and feet
If you are deficient, consider taking an iron supplement to boost your levels.
In addition, be sure to add more iron-rich foods to your diet, which include fruit and vegetables, beans, lentils, Brazil nuts, cashews, mushrooms, and many more.
You should also make sure you’re getting plenty of vitamin C, which your body needs to be able to absorb iron from these sources.
