iron supplements and Parkinson’s - Cure Parkinson's

Cure Parkinson's

26,583 members27,900 posts

iron supplements and Parkinson’s

Turnipbarrow profile image
11 Replies

my husband has low iron levels. I remember seeing different articles about the safety of taking iron supplements for someone who has Parkinson’s. I can’t seem to find the threads. Can anyone tell me about the safety of taking iron supplements? I would like to be prepared for a conversation with the doctor who ordered the bloodwork (hematologist ).

Thsnk you so much!

Written by
Turnipbarrow profile image
Turnipbarrow
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
11 Replies
Rafafan profile image
Rafafan

My husband has borderline anemia according to his last blood test but the doctor isn't prescribing any iron, just keeping an eye on it. My husband is on Madapar for his Parkinsons and the side effects leaflet mentions this so I wondered if your husband is also on it?

Underthestrain profile image
Underthestrain in reply toRafafan

My wife has a iron infusion because iron tablets are not recommended to be taken orally if taking Parkinson drugs, in her case Madapar and Sinemet+ The last infusion lasted approx 2 years. The information is on the Iron Supplement information sheet

Eryl profile image
Eryl

Systemic inflammation can be cause low iron and modern diest can be highly inflamatory containing many processed foods containing refined carbohydrates and seed oils. youtu.be/eqCensiK8Ac?si=kH7...

spinyhead profile image
spinyhead

yes, my husband has low iron and his doctor prescribed some over-the-counter supplement. I researched this and I chose to give him Thorne ferrasorb which need not be taken with food, in conjunction with lactoferrin. I usually buy Double Woods lactoferrin.

LeharLover62 profile image
LeharLover62

Also, did they figure out why? Men shouldn’t have low iron. Hubby had colon polyps which caused anemia several years ago. And he successfully supplemented with iron as well during that time. Make sure you get a diagnosis.

Boscoejean profile image
Boscoejean in reply toLeharLover62

I just read an article that suggested that there can be a problem with iron metabolism and it said that sometimes a person can have a good blood test for iron but their system is not able to utilize it.

"A plethora of studies indicate that iron metabolism is dysregulated in Parkinson's disease (PD). "

sciencedirect.com/science/a...

"3.1. Iron is a double-edged sword

Iron is a critical trace element for multiple biological mechanisms with its deficiency leading to cell death, but it is also cytotoxic when in excess [102]. Thus, organisms have developed multiple intricate mechanisms for the maintenance of iron levels within optimal levels by controlling cellular iron uptake, transport, storage and release [103]. Iron in the brain accounts for less than 2% of whole-body iron content, and interestingly, is distributed heterogeneously in different brain regions. Iron accumulates in the brain with normal aging [104], but larger increases by two-fold, occur in specific brain regions in PD [105,106] and Alzheimer's disease [107]."

"Unbound excess cellular iron, particularly that which is not bound to the iron storage protein, ferritin, can be cytotoxic, as it can be involved in the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) via Fenton and Haber-Weiss chemistry [108]. In fact, the accumulation of intracellular iron can lead to the relatively recently discovered process of ferroptosis [109], which is a unique non-apoptotic mechanism defined by iron-induced lipid ROS and depletion of plasma membrane unsaturated fatty acids [110]. For ferroptosis to occur there is a need for coincident glutathione (GSH) depletion with inactivation of the GSH-dependent enzyme, glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPx4), with the incorporation of oxidizable polyunsaturated fatty acids into phospholipids [111,112]."

"Why does increased dopamine biosynthesis, which is likely potentiated by the accumulated iron in the SNpc, lead to neurodegeneration? This might be explained by the cytotoxic potential of dopamine, as it can readily auto-oxidize in the presence of iron and can also be metabolically deaminated to generate toxic dopamine metabolites (quinones) and ROS. The generation of hydrogen peroxide has been suggested to result in mitochondrial damage with this oxidant leading to the oxidation of GSH to glutathione disulfide (GSSG), which may participate in thiol-disulfide interchange to result in protein mixed disulfides. These latter species could reversibly inhibit thiol-dependent enzymes that affect their function [14,320]. Therefore, excessively synthesized dopamine and a failure to properly store dopamine into synaptic vesicles may lead to oxidative stress, terminal degeneration, and eventually cell death [14]."

Astrojupiter profile image
Astrojupiter in reply toBoscoejean

I am wondering why treatment with l dopa does not cause more rapid disease progress if “This might be explained by the cytotoxic potential of dopamine as it can readily auto-oxidize in the presence of iron and can also be metabolically deaminated to generate toxic dopamine metabolites (quinones) and ROS“.

Boscoejean profile image
Boscoejean in reply toAstrojupiter

it is all so complicated and this seems like a good question

Bolt_Upright profile image
Bolt_Upright

It is important to remember I have no more than a high school degree.

I have posted a number of times about some researcher's theories on too much iron causing or making PD worse.

From an article: "Many of these neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, appear to be related to focal accumulation of iron in specific regions of the brain".

Does this mean the PwP had too much iron in their system? Or does it just mean the iron is accumulating? I don't know.

This post has links to a lot of what I was posting about: "Berberine Is a Promising Alkaloid to Attenuate Iron Toxicity Efficiently in Iron-Overloaded Mice" healthunlocked.com/cure-par...

And this post has good info also: Curcumin Update 2023/03/06 healthunlocked.com/cure-par...

Anybody that has not read that Curcumin post, really should. My advanced high school degree tells me something good is in Curcumin.

Esperanto profile image
Esperanto in reply toBolt_Upright

I'm going to make sure you don't need your Curcumin pills anymore!

pdpatient profile image
pdpatient in reply toBolt_Upright

Bolt_Upright and yet you know much more than those who have Masters degrees and Doctorates 🙇😬🤣✌️

Not what you're looking for?

You may also like...

Parkinson’s disease and iron

While the initial causes of Parkinson’s disease (PD) are not clearly defined, iron deposition has...
Farooqji profile image

Supplements

Hi all, anyone see a Frontline documentary called "Supplements and Safety" on PBS? It had to do...
Beckey profile image

Best Supplements, Vitamins and Herbs for Depression and Anxiety -- as per Consumer Lab.

Consumer Lab is a paid subscription so they don't allow me to copy their link, so I have to paste...
MBAnderson profile image

Supplements Useless

The latest “Annals of Internal Medicine” has a report on the effects of Supplements for cardiac...
condor39 profile image

Supplements.

I have had PD for nearly ten years. I am not a Coeliac. I am trying supplements to see if they...
LinnyGee profile image

Moderation team

See all
CPT_Aleksandra profile image
CPT_AleksandraAdministrator
CPT_Anaya profile image
CPT_AnayaAdministrator

Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.

Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.