Question

Iron ppm in hair: why is there a potential to have a percent recovery over 100% even when there is no human error?

Answer 1

Iron is an essential component of hemoglobin in red blood cells . It is associated with strength or human potentiality.It is required for oxygen transport, DNA synthesis and other processes. In its free form, (unbound from hemoglobin or other binding proteins), it accelarates oxidation or rusting of body tissues. In healthy individuals there is little if any unbound iron circulating inthe blood. in all diseased states, however, unbound iron ( also called free iron ) is released at sites of inflammation and can spark uncontrolled oxidation.Humans absorb only a fraction of iron they consume [ iron absorption rates from food vary from less than 1% to nearly 100% ] , but their are numerous automatic mechanisms and many controlling factors.Iron is mainly controlled by chelation- compounds which bind to toxic substance (like iron) and render it nontoxic or nonactive. Albumin , a simple protein found in blood acts as a chelator by loosely binding to iron. Ferritin , produced in the liver is another iron binding protein.Similarly Transferrin , lactoferrin produced in liver are also iron chelator. Furthermore as iron stores increase, the gastric absorption of iron decreases. Thus the body employs numerous mechanism to control iron in the system.

Again 'Phytic acid' is readily absorbed in the blood stream and is a potent but safe iron and mineral chelator. It can bind minerals (even heavy metals such as mercury, lead and cadmium ) in the blood,which are then eliminated through the kidneys.Phytic acid removes only excess or unbound minerals, not the mineral ions already attached to proteins.