Hello! I have been a doctor for 21 years. My name is Georgy Olegovich Sapego. In this article, I'll show you how excess iron stimulates microbial growth.
Iron is a trace mineral that is needed by almost all organisms. There are some exceptions, but it doesn't matter.
Microbes usually need iron too. Once upon a time, microbes reigned supreme on the Earth. There were no multicellular organisms, and the bacteria feasted on a large amount of available ferrous iron.
But then multicellular organisms appeared, and it became much more difficult for microbes to live. Plants released oxygen, due to which the iron passed into insoluble trivalent forms. Something like rust. This rust was not particularly suitable for microbes, and then they learned to steal iron from multicellular organisms.
The bacteria began to secrete special siderophore compounds. Siderophores like a sponge absorb iron and take it away from everyone who is near.
There is a lot of soluble iron inside multicellular organisms, and microbes began to attack multicellular organisms. The war began. This war is now called an infection.
Microbes constantly hone their ways of stealing iron, and multicellular organisms learn to defend themselves. We are multicellular too. And we also protect our iron. When microbes attack us, they get on the mucous membranes. In the eyes, nose, mouth, respiratory tract and gastrointestinal tract. Have you heard about lysozyme? Well, the one that is secreted by mucous membranes. It kills germs.
The mucous membranes are also able to wash off bacteria. With tears, for example.
They also release substances that bind iron. So that it does not get to the hated bacteria. The most famous compound is lactoferrin. It is especially abundant in tears and breast milk.
If lactoferrin grabbed iron, it will never give it to microbes. There is still a lot of interesting stuff. The war between microbes and humans is going on with varying degrees of success.
It happens that against the background of an infection, our body deliberately limits the absorption of iron from the intestines. He does this on purpose so as not to feed the microbes. The body is smart, but people sometimes freak out.
Sometimes people make life difficult for themselves. We have already discussed the story of how excess vitamins can harm. So extra trace elements like iron can also harm. The microbes with their siderophores will intercept the incoming iron and use it to their advantage. Therefore, if a weakened patient is given iron preparations without special need, then he can grow microbes.
Do not take iron supplements without a doctor's prescription. They can be poisoned. And they can also provoke the development of infection, especially in old people.
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