Iron level of long time meat eaters

[ys]

I have a question to long time meat eaters if they had any issues with elevated iron.

I started to develop high iron levels after about 5-6 years of eating raw meat daily and organs every other week.  Even after I limited my meat and liver intake iron levels kept going up.  I never had any issues with iron before.  It got to the point where I had to donate blood just to get rid of extra iron.

[Haai]

Yes I have had the same happen to me. Approximately 3 years into RPD my blood ferritin level was 332 ug/L. 4.5 yrs later (7.5 yrs after starting RPD) it is 480 ug/L.

I have pondered the issue of iron for some time. A few thoughts that have crossed my mind, but I am in no way saying are facts are:
- humans in the palaeolithic were actually fativores and would have instinctively chosen to prioritize consumption of animal fat. Once satiated on fat they would then only eat a small amount of flesh, therefore iron intake would be relatively lower than if one gorged oneself on flesh.
- regarding organ meats; I have come to believe that one can easily over-consume them. They are so nutrient-dense (including very high in iron) that a little goes along way.
- I have read in past threads about suggestions of drinking blood being paleo and that it would be a good source of electrolytes etc. I can't help thinking it would probably lead to iron overdose too. In the stoneage I doubt that drinking blood was common place. I imagine most animals die by bleeding out from wounds made by the hunter. By the time the hunter catches up with the animal there would be very little blood left in it. Plus they wouldn't have had much available to them in the way of drinking vessels to collect blood.
- perhaps so-called high iron levels are actually the norm and the reference range is based on a human population who follows a standard western diet and who could be chronically deficient in iron.

[ys]

Good to know I'm not the only one.

Last time I checked in August it was 664.  I'll check again in a few days after I just donated a pint of blood.

I never thought about too much iron until I started getting black stains on my teeth. At first it was on the inside upper teeth but with time it is everywhere.  After I scrape it off it starts again few days later.  I googled what it might be and one suggestion was too much iron in the saliva. So I did blood test and bingo there it was.

I'm relatively small about 132lb.  But did not feel any weakness or anything at all after blood donation.  The nurse who was assisting me told me she has seen plenty of big men drop to the floor after just one unit of blood donation. The only explanation I can think of is some of us are genetically predisposed to handle frequent blood loss.

[dariorpl]

Yes I have had the same happen to me. Approximately 3 years into RPD my blood ferritin level was 332 ug/L. 4.5 yrs later (7.5 yrs after starting RPD) it is 480 ug/L.

I have pondered the issue of iron for some time. A few thoughts that have crossed my mind, but I am in no way saying are facts are:
- humans in the palaeolithic were actually fativores and would have instinctively chosen to prioritize consumption of animal fat. Once satiated on fat they would then only eat a small amount of flesh, therefore iron intake would be relatively lower than if one gorged oneself on flesh.
- regarding organ meats; I have come to believe that one can easily over-consume them. They are so nutrient-dense (including very high in iron) that a little goes along way.
- I have read in past threads about suggestions of drinking blood being paleo and that it would be a good source of electrolytes etc. I can't help thinking it would probably lead to iron overdose too. In the stoneage I doubt that drinking blood was common place. I imagine most animals die by bleeding out from wounds made by the hunter. By the time the hunter catches up with the animal there would be very little blood left in it. Plus they wouldn't have had much available to them in the way of drinking vessels to collect blood.
- perhaps so-called high iron levels are actually the norm and the reference range is based on a human population who follows a standard western diet and who could be chronically deficient in iron.

All interesting points.

Also, if too high iron levels are correlated with health problems, it could be that this iron is coming from supplements, rather than dietary intake.

[dariorpl]

he only explanation I can think of is some of us are genetically predisposed to handle frequent blood loss.

This reminds me of the bloodletting and leech therapies of the middle ages.

[Xisca]

As my iron and ferritin are ok in blood, but my hair iron is too high, then it shows before you really have the problem!

Also, think about relationship with copper, as there is a link, though I forgot which. And copper is linked to zinc, and meat is the highest source of zinc!

Then, think kasher.... We have to bleed animals.

Then think sea-shells: they have no iron in blood but copper. Good complement to meat.

I know you won't but I let you know that coffee will prevent some iron absorbtion! Then it is plausible that we could find some plants that do the same when eaten in salads?

[ys]

The results just came in.  My ferritin level dropped to 321 from 664 after donating one pint of blood.  320 is the upper limit so I probably will donate again in 6 months.  Stains on my teeth will let me know if iron levels are going back up.