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Some studies report that persons over 50 years of age should avoid taking iron and supplements to reduce their risk of diseases associated with aging. It depends. A new report suggests that persons older than 50 years should take steps in reducing their iron and copper intakes to avoid the unhealthy build up of these elements in their bodies. Dr. George Brewer professor of human genetics at the University of Michigan's Human Genetics and Internal Medicine Department, says that while these metals are essential to human reproductive function in younger years, high levels of these minerals can damage cells in mid and old age. He says that large segments of the population are at risk because of high intakes of copper and iron. Adverse Effects of High Iron and Copper Intake Iron and copper are transition metals. They can be transformed/reduced from one state into another and vice-versa. For example trivalent iron and copper can be reduced to bivalent iron and copper (Fe+++ to Fe++; and Cu+++ to Cu++ and vice-versa). This reaction produces reactive oxygen species (ROS) - molecules that can damage DNA, lipids, and proteins. Some of these unstable products include superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radical, and singlet oxygen (O*). Excess iron and copper have been been implicated in oxidative stress that hallmarks diseases of aging such as atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries due to the deposition of "fatty" plaques along the arterial walls), heart disease, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease etc. A study found that persons with a high fat diet and high copper intake lose cognition at over 3 times the normal rate. In people with Wilson's disease, copper accumulates in the liver and brain leading to fatal toxicity. Wilson's disease is controlled by chelation and zinc supplementation. Zinc interferes with copper absorption Read more at Suite101: Should Older People Avoid Mineral Supplements?: A Controversial Advice http://alzheimers- disease.suite101.com/article.cfm/should-older-people-avoid-mineral- supplements#ixzz0eGQk0Sxi ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn