While dietary iron is crucial for good health—playing a key role in proteins, enzymes, energy production, and even cell growth—too much can be harmful.
Iron is vital for hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that helps carry oxygen to your tissues. Without enough iron, you might feel fatigued, have a weaker immune system, or even develop iron deficiency anemia. But here’s the catch: your body doesn’t have a great way to get rid of excess iron, so it can start to build up in your tissues and organs. This can be dangerous because iron, being a strong oxidizer, can damage your tissues, including your heart and brain, increasing the risk of heart disease and dementia.
Dangers of Too Much Iron
While iron deficiency and anemia are commonly tested, many doctors overlook the dangers of iron overload, which is more widespread than people think.
Men and postmenopausal women are particularly at risk since blood loss is the main way to reduce excess iron. Several everyday factors can increase iron levels, such as cooking with iron pots (especially acidic foods), eating processed foods like iron-fortified cereals and bread, drinking well water high in iron, or taking multivitamins with added iron.
Having the right amount of iron is crucial for overall health, but it’s easy to overlook the risks of having too much. Excess iron can lead to a condition known as hemochromatosis, which can be harmful to various organs in the body. It’s more common than you might realize—about 1 in 3.5 people in the U.S. carry the gene for it, and around a million people have the double gene variant, which can lead to serious liver issues.
Signs of Too Much Iron
Here are some symptoms to watch out for if you think you might be getting too much iron:
- Fatigue and Weakness: Iron overload can make you feel sluggish and drained, even if you’re getting enough sleep. This fatigue often feels different from typical tiredness; it’s a deep-seated exhaustion that doesn’t seem to improve with rest.
- Joint Pain: Unexplained joint pain, particularly in the hands and knees, can be a sign of too much iron. It’s not just typical soreness—this pain can feel sharp or persistent and might come with swelling.
- Abdominal Discomfort: If you’re experiencing persistent stomach pain or discomfort, it might be related to high iron levels. This could manifest as cramping, bloating, or a general feeling of unease in your digestive tract.
- Skin Changes: Some people notice a change in skin color, often described as a bronze or gray tint. This occurs because excess iron can deposit in the skin, affecting its appearance.
- Heart Issues: Too much iron can put a strain on your heart. Symptoms might include an irregular heartbeat, chest pain, or even heart failure in severe cases. If you notice any unusual heart-related symptoms, it’s essential to consult a healthcare professional.
- Diabetes Symptoms: Elevated iron levels can affect your pancreas, leading to insulin resistance or diabetes. You might experience increased thirst, frequent urination, or unexplained weight changes.
- Cognitive Changes: Some people report difficulties with memory or concentration. If you find yourself feeling more forgetful or having trouble focusing, it could be related to iron overload.
- Liver Problems: Since the liver stores excess iron, symptoms of liver dysfunction, like jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), dark urine, or swelling in the abdomen, can indicate a problem.
The Connection Between The Liver and Iron
The liver plays a crucial role in regulating iron levels in the body.
Understanding the liver/iron connection is essential for maintaining overall health.
Here’s how the liver interacts with iron and why keeping that balance in check is so important.
Iron Storage and Regulation
The liver serves as the primary storage site for iron, holding it in a form called ferritin, which binds to iron. When the body needs iron for processes like producing red blood cells, the liver releases it into the bloodstream. This regulation is vital because, while iron is essential for transporting oxygen and supporting cellular functions, too much iron can be toxic.
Iron Overload
For some, consuming excessive iron (whether due to a genetic condition like hemochromatosis or repeated blood transfusions), can lead to iron overload. When the liver’s storage capacity is exceeded, iron starts to accumulate in liver cells, leading to damage and dysfunction.
Chronic iron overload can have serious consequences, such as:
- Liver Damage: Excessive iron can cause inflammation and scarring in the liver, which could progress to cirrhosis or even liver failure.
- Increased Risk of Liver Cancer: Prolonged iron overload raises the risk of developing liver cancer, particularly in individuals already dealing with liver disease.
The Liver’s Role in Iron Deficiency
On the other hand, the liver also plays a role in addressing iron deficiency. When iron levels dip, the liver produces a hormone called hepcidin, which regulates how much iron the body absorbs from food and releases from storage. A balanced level of hepcidin ensures that there is enough iron available to support vital functions like oxygen transport and energy production.
Anemia: What Doctors Try to Avoid When Looking to Iron Supplementation
Anemia can be caused by a variety of factors, not just low iron levels, and it’s more common than you might think. Poor diet, intestinal issues, chronic diseases, and infections all play a role. Women who are pregnant or menstruating are particularly at risk, as well as people dealing with long-term health conditions. And as we age, the likelihood of becoming anemic increases. But the hidden cause is Copper Deficiency.
Copper acts as a conductor for iron, guiding it to its necessary destinations. A lack of copper can cause iron overload in inappropriate places and iron deficiency where it’s required.
Symptoms of Copper Deficiency
Copper deficiency symptoms are often mistaken for anemia or other conditions, so it’s easy for them to go unnoticed. Here are some common signs to watch for:
- Anemia
- Bone abnormalities
- Osteoporosis
- Neuropathy (nerve damage)
- Low white blood cell count (neutrophils)
- Weakened immune system
- Slowed growth
- Premature graying of hair
- Pale skin
Benefits of Copper
Copper is packed with health benefits, not just alleviating anemia, which is why nutritionists often recommend it as a supplement. Here are some of the top reasons to consider adding copper to your daily routine:
Assists Iron and Sugar Absorption
Copper is essential for iron absorption and sugar metabolism, ensuring your body can properly use these nutrients for energy and red blood cell production.
Improves Immunity
By preventing anemia and acting as an antioxidant, copper strengthens your immune system, helping your body defend and heal more efficiently.
Supports Diabetic Treatment
Copper plays a crucial role in protecting cells from free radicals, which are linked to the onset of type 2 diabetes. A deficiency can lead to damaged tissues and a higher risk of diabetes.
Aids Fetal Growth and Development
Copper is essential for healthy development, especially for growing fetuses. It protects skeletal, nervous, and cardiovascular systems, and a deficiency can lead to birth defects or premature births.
Improves Hair and Eye Pigmentation
Copper is a key player in producing melanin, the pigment responsible for your hair, skin, and eye color. It helps prevent premature graying and supports healthy eye color as you age.
Boosts Brain Function
Copper is known as “brain food” because it enhances cognitive function and creativity by supporting neural pathways and brain energy.
Increases Energy Levels
Copper helps produce red blood cells and plays a role in iron absorption, preventing anemia and boosting overall energy.
Supports Connective Tissues
Copper aids in the production of collagen, elastin, and myelin, which are crucial for healthy skin and connective tissues, preventing wrinkles and sagging.
Enhances Enzymatic Reactions
Copper supports enzymatic processes that keep your metabolism and hormone levels balanced, helping your body function smoothly.
Promotes Cardiovascular Health
Copper plays a role in maintaining your heart, arteries, and overall cardiovascular system, contributing to long-term heart health.
Reduces Cholesterol
Copper helps lower bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase good cholesterol (HDL), reducing the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and atherosclerosis.
Supports Thyroid Health
Copper, along with zinc and selenium, helps regulate thyroid function, ensuring balanced hormone production and overall metabolic health.
Improves Skin Health
Copper is vital for collagen and elastin production, both of which are necessary for maintaining skin elasticity and integrity, keeping your skin looking youthful and firm.
Copper is essential for many aspects of health, but like all nutrients, balance is key—too much or too little can lead to health issues.
Testing Your Iron and Copper Levels
To stay on top of your iron and copper levels, I recommend getting an annual serum ferritin test, which measures how much iron is stored in your body. While many labs consider 200 to 300 ng/mL “normal,” that’s far too high for optimal health. The ideal range for men and postmenopausal women is 40 to 60 ng/mL—anything above 80 or below 20 is concerning.
This is especially important during pregnancy, where maintaining a healthy iron level (around 60 to 70 ng/mL) can prevent poor outcomes.
Another useful test is the GGT (gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase), often used to assess liver damage but also a marker for excess iron. A healthy GGT level is around 9 U/L for women and 16 U/L for men—higher levels can indicate greater risks for cancer or autoimmune disease.
Lastly, the transferrin saturation test can help spot iron overload, with the ideal percentage being between 30 and 40%. If you’re above 40%, you may have excess iron damaging your mitochondria, which is something that definitely needs to be addressed.
Do You Need to Supplement with Copper?
Due to the Spike Protein, which depletes copper, and due to the increased consumption of processed foods, which also depletes copper at an accelerated rate, many people benefit from copper supplementation.
Why Food Might not be Enough for Your Copper Needs
Some of the best food sources of copper include liver, meat, seafood, beans, whole grains, nuts, oats, garlic, molasses, beets, and lentils. You can even absorb small amounts of copper from drinking water that runs through copper pipes or using copper cookware.
While these foods are rich in copper, many plant-based sources like beans, grains, and nuts contain lectins or oxalates—compounds that can harm the gut and block nutrient absorption. This means your body may not actually absorb the copper from these foods effectively. The best sources of copper—liver, meat, and seafood—are often under-consumed, leaving many people at risk of deficiency.
Why Choose Accelerated Scalar Copper® for Supplementation?
If copper deficiency can negatively impact your health, it’s essential to find a reliable source of copper that your body can absorb efficiently. Here’s why Accelerated Scalar Copper® is the top choice:
- Superior Absorption: While most copper supplements have only about 5% absorption, Accelerated Scalar Copper® boasts close to a 99% absorption rate, making it far more effective.
- Proprietary Scalar Copper Technology: This supplement uses nano scalar copper, which is treated with water implosion technology and enhanced with scalar frequencies to maximize absorption and efficacy.
- High Purity and Safety: Made with ozonated and UV-sterilized distilled water and 99.99% ultra-fine pure scalar copper, it ensures no toxic buildup, unlike supplements with larger copper particles that can accumulate to harmful levels.
- Unique Water Implosion Technology: This process energizes and structures the copper hydrosol, making it more bioavailable.
- Scalar Frequencies for Added Benefits: Imprinted with scalar frequencies, this copper supplement helps rejuvenate the brain and body, offering not just supplementation but an overall health boost.
For these reasons, Accelerated Scalar Copper® stands out as the most effective and bioavailable copper supplement on the market. nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
Sara Banta
Sara Banta is a Stanford University Graduate with a Degree in Economics and Psychology, and a certified Natural Supplement Expert & Graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Sara is the Founder of Accelerated Health Products and host of the health & wellness podcast, Accelerated Health Radio.
