Is Too Much Iron Dangerous?

Iron is an essential nutrient that is needed at all life stages. Iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency worldwide.

Despite the importance of adequate iron stores and the frequency of deficiency, there is apprehension regarding iron supplementation due to fears of overload or toxicity.

At what point does iron become dangerous? Let’s take a closer look.

The Importance of Iron

Iron is important to many functions in the body, from the manufacturing of hormones to supplying the body with energy and oxygen needed for growth and development.

Healthy iron levels are especially important for pregnant women, growing children, and teens. It is crucial during early development, before pregnancy, in the womb, and during infancy. Iron deficiency during times of growth and development can cause lasting abnormalities.

Untreated iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia can cause many unpleasant symptoms. 

To reach the 20 mg/kg threshold, a 30 kg child would need to consume 600 mg of elemental iron, in one sitting or a short time period, which is the equivalent of 2 full bottles of our BioFe Iron Sweet Blast chewable tablets, or 1 full bottle of our 10 mg grape chewable iron tablets.

To prevent iron poisoning in children, keep all iron-containing supplements out of reach. This is especially important for adult supplements including prenatal and multivitamins containing iron.

There are certain genetic conditions that can increase the risk of iron overload. These conditions include hemochromatosis, sickle cell disease, and thalassemia.

Hemochromatosis is a genetic condition where the body’s ability to regulate iron absorption is compromised. This leads to excess iron being absorbed and can eventually lead to iron overload. It is estimated that 1 in 300 Canadians suffer from this condition. For hemochromatosis to occur, a child needs to inherit one defective gene from each parent. Inheriting only one defective gene makes a person a carrier, but they will rarely develop the disorder.

High iron in other conditions such as thalassaemia are often due to iron transfusions necessary to treat the condition.

For children without the above-mentioned genetic conditions, the daily maintenance dose of a child’s iron supplement is not enough to risk iron poisoning or iron overload even after long term use.

For both children and adults, prolonged use of high therapeutic doses of iron could eventually lead to iron overload.

Maintenance vs. Therapeutic Dosing

A maintenance dose of iron, which is what is recommended on supplement labels, helps to prevent iron deficiency.

For children and adults with iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia, the daily maintenance dose is not enough to raise iron levels. In these cases, consultation with a health care provider is necessary to determine a therapeutic dose.

Follow up testing is then needed to ensure levels are rising. Once levels reach an optimal level, iron dosing can be lowered to a maintenance dose to help prevent future deficiencies.

If you suspect an iron deficiency, a blood panel test is the best way to confirm.