Even Zoo Animals Are Being Killed by Too Much Iron

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http://www.mercola.com/2004/aug/4/iron_zoo_animals.htm

 

Even Zoo Animals Are Being Killed by Too Much Iron

 

Veterinary surgeons made a significant discovery that

might have solved the mystery of why it’s so difficult

to keep the endangered black rhinos in captivity. Even

though the numbers of rhinos that live in the wild has

risen, the black rhino species has remained sparse.

This makes preserving the future species of the rhinos

that much more critical.

 

Concerns have been raised over the high number of

black rhinos kept in American zoos that have died

prematurely of chronic anemia.

 

Symptoms of anemia in the rhinos include low blood

cell counts, weakness, apathy and the passing of blood

in the urine, which usually occurs just before they

die. Unlike the causes of anemia in humans such as low

levels of iron, the cause of the disease in rhinos is

just the opposite, high levels of iron. Researchers

were surprised to find that the blood cells of black

rhinos had 50 times more tyrosine than the red blood

cells of humans.

 

It is believed that tyrosine works to stop the buildup

of iron by absorbing oxygen free radicals.

 

Researchers also investigated the type of food rhinos

ate in the wild and found that acacia, a common food

rhinos consume, contained higher traces of iron than

plants such as grasses. Although it hasn’t been

confirmed, researchers also believed that the natural

food rhinos consume might be filled with higher

amounts of tyrosine.

 

Based on these findings, researchers concluded that

rhinos kept in captivity were getting double the

effects of iron due to the iron in the feed given to

them combined with a lowered capability to counter the

effects of tyrosine.

 

As a way to combat the excess iron problem,

veterinarians have been adding tannins to black rhino

feed.

 

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology May

2004;138(1):105-9

 

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

 

Excess iron in the human body can cause devastating

effects as well, and I encourage you to read my

article on how to diagnose iron overload for more

information on this important topic.

 

While iron is a necessary part of staying healthy, too

much iron can be devastating. Aside from the excess

iron that can result from iron supplements, iron

overload, or hemochromatosis, is actually the most

common inherited disease. In hereditary

hemochromatosis deposits of iron appear in practically

every major organ, particularly the liver, pancreas

and heart, resulting in complete and widespread organ

failure.

 

Further, iron has been known to be associated with

infection for 30 years. When excess iron is present,

the body’s normal antibacterial mechanisms become

severely compromised. Excess iron can also create

massive amounts of free radicals.

 

If you were to listen to traditional medicine the only

solution for iron overload is to donate a pint of

blood every two weeks. This is not a very effective

solution and may require many years before it works as

up to 50 therapeutic phlebotomies may be necessary.

 

Measuring iron levels is a very important part of

optimizing your health, especially for men and

postmenopausal women since excess iron is most common

among these groups. However, simply measuring serum

iron is a poor way to do this because frequently the

serum iron will be normal. The most useful of the

indirect measures of iron status in the body is

through a measure of the serum ferritin level in

conjunction with a total iron binding level.

 

If you find elevated serum ferritin levels, you do not

have to perform therapeutic phlebotomies. A simple

extract from rice bran called phytic acid, or IP6, can

serve as a very effective form of iron chelation that

is non-toxic, inexpensive and can be done without a

prescription.

 

Tsuno Food & Rice Company of Wakayama, Japan is the

only manufacturer of IP6 in the world; any brand you

purchase would come from this company. Since it is all

the same product, the least expensive brand is

probably the best one to choose, and Jarrow seems to

have the best prices.

 

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Drug Treatment for Iron Overload

 

Is it Hepatitis C or Iron Toxicity?

 

High Iron & Manganese Linked to Parkinson's

 

Most People Get Too Much Not Too Little Iron

 

The Importance of Iron Metabolism and Anemia

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