Excess iron and the Brain The association between excess iron and brain problems continues to evolve

Ironic Blood
Excess iron and the Brain
Editor Steve Barfield

Alzheimer's
The association between excess iron and brain problems continues to evolve.
Recent medical investigations have determined that those patients suffering
from Alzheimer's disease will best be served by reducing their ferritin level
below 25.

Now a Swiss pharmaceutical company Anavex Life Sciences is announcing
clinical human trials at the end of 2010 for a new medication based on this new
awareness. Early animal models have shown great promise in dealing with
this problem. In these trials, there was not only prevention but restorative
properties found with this approach.

The Alzheimer's Association estimates that 6 million Americans presently
have this medical condition. Further, they are telling us that 50% of Americans
above the age of 85 will develop this deteriorating brain disorder.

Epilepsy
We know too that epilepsy and other seizure disorders have iron overload
as a basis. We have a member in South Carolina who was having 8 grand mall
seizures a day and his ferritin level was 26,000. This level sets the record as the
highest to our knowledge. His neurologist insisted that iron had nothing to do
with his brain problems. We found our member a doctor who would treat his
excess iron and his seizures stopped completely as he is nearing the end of his
initial protocol. Our member is reporting that he never felt better.

Parkinson's
Parkinson's as well has been implicated in the iron overload situation.
Estimates for this disease have it at 16 million Americans and growing. So you
can see the scale of the problem of ignoring iron overload in the general population.

Autism
Autism has be called an epidemic among Americans and it too has as a possible
cause too much iron. We would ask that all autism patients be screened for the
underlying iron and, of course, treated where found.

There is an International Bio-Iron meeting this month in Portugal chaired by our own
Board Member Maria de Sousa MD. At this meeting many brain and iron advances
are being announced. Truly, hemochromatosis patients are not the only people
who need to be aware of their iron status - but everyone.

If anyone has a brain and iron story to relate, please call our office at:
561-586-8246

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