8/16/2019 Iron (and more) For Lasting, Natural Energy

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To your good health,Terry... Naturally

TERRY’S BOTTOM LINE: If you’ve been low on energy andendurance, you’re probably low on

iron. Most people have a decit of iron in their diets, and that’s becausewe’ve been told for years that iron is

only appropriate for children, womeof childbearing age, and professiona athletes. Nothing could be further from the truth.

You need supplemental iron to keep you energized throughout theday. But you need the right form.The amino-acid chelated form of

iron I recommend, combined with magnesium, copper and zinc, will help you:

• Stay active longer• Recover from exercise faster • Prevent muscle injuries and

heal faster • Stop headaches and PMS symptoms• Beat fatigue and “afternoon slumps•Increases oxygen levels in the blood

Here is the formula I suggest:

Iron (as ferrous bisglycinate chelate) 30 mMagnesium 300 m(as magnesium bisglycinate chelate buffered)Zinc (as zinc bisglycinate chelate) 10 mCopper (as copper bisglycinate chelate) 2 m

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Magnesium: AnotherEnergy-Creating MineralMagnesium helps us metabolize B-vita(in fact, vitamins couldn’t work in our bodiwithout a full range of minerals), it

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ENERGY/ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE

highly-absorbable iron and other key mineralsthat I recommend help the body produce thishormone naturally.

Iron is an essential trace mineral that helpstransport oxygen in the blood, support cellularenergy creation, and support proper neurotrans-mitter synthesis. Studies have shown thatchildren, women and men require this essentialmineral to create healthy red blood cells, buildmuscle tone, and keep energy levels goingstrong. In some cases, the need for iron isvery strong. In fact, women who are pregnantrequire almost twice the recommended amountof iron per day! For men, women, and children,the dosages vary depending on age, but formen, the recommended level of iron is 8 mg;for women of childbearing age, up to 18 mg;and for children, up to 10 mg daily. However,those recommendations are often not met. Andeverybody who is active (or wants to be moreso) needs this mineral – most likely in higheramounts. In fact, people who exercise inten-sively may have a30% greater need for iron .

On average, an adult loses one milligram of ironper day, and during exercise, people can losethat much in their sweat in one workout.

Some of our foods – coffee, tea, wine, fiber,and calcium – can inhibit iron absorption.And NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatorydrugs) can boost your need for iron, too.Considering that many people still use thesepotentially-dangerous pain-relievers, it wouldbe no surprise if they were low in iron as well –especially if they are active.

The iron I recommend is a glycinate chelatedform. Why chelated? Because minerals canbe difficult for the body to absorb and useefficiently. A “chelate” is a bond between

a mineral (often called “inorganic”) and anorganic molecule structure, called a “ligand”that helps the body absorb the mineral duringdigestion. The amino acid glycine is an excellent“shepherd” of minerals through the intestinalwall, because this form can be transporteddirectly into the cells of the body, so it can getto work right away. But it is also a gentle formof iron. It doesn’t cause constipation and is notharsh on the stomach

ron for Energy and Endurancet’s probably a universal wish to have morenergy and endurance. Many of us wake up tofresh cup of coffee or tea “just to get going”,

r rely on an “energy drink” to get through thefternoon. But there is a far better approacho energy than revving up your system withoffee or other stimulants. It relies on theody’s own need for strong, well-absorbed

minerals to create the red blood cells thatuel our system.

n this Terry Talks Nutrition®, we’re going toxplore the essential minerals we need forealthy energy that can keep us going the dis-ance whether we’re in a cross-country bicycleace, or simply racing against a busy schedule.

Everybody Needs Ironron deficiency is the most common nutritionaleficiency in the United States. Over 7 million

women and 700,000 young children in Americare estimated to be iron deficient. And, possiblyue to the popular idea that men “don’t needron,” middle-aged and older men have beenound to have low iron levels as well.

That may come as a surprise. After all,we’ve been told for so long that iron is only

onditionally necessary. Basically, that it’s finef you’re pregnant or menstruating, or maybeprofessional athlete, but other than that we

hould leave it alone. That’s just not true.

ron is a critical component of hemoglobin, therotein carried by red blood cells that deliversxygen throughout the body for energy. Weouldn’t live without it. And yet, iron deficiencynd anemia is one of the world’s most commononditions. For athletes and anyone with anctive life, the need for iron is even greater.

Aside from hemoglobin, iron is a requirement

or erythropoietin (EPO) production, a hormoneeeded by the body that also helps makenergizing red blood cells.

ron is the link in the way we sustainhysical activity and energy. In some cases,rofessional athletes have injected EPO inrder to boost performance and endurance. Buthere’s no need to take such drastic, potentiallyangerous, (and probably illegal) measures. The

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rovides our cells with energy, helps musclesecover after heavy exercise, helps our thyroidun smoothly, and helps keep us on an eveneel emotionally.

Unfortunately, like so many of our mineral needs,we are often deficient in magnesium. One ofhe reasons for this is that our food just doesn’tave the mineral content that it did in the past.

Our topsoil gets washed out over time, and asresult, much of our fruits and vegetables haveecome nutritionally “dumbed down”.

A deficiency of magnesium can lead toumbness and tingling, muscle contractionsnd cramps, and in severe cases, abnormaleart rhythms. As with iron, low levels of

magnesium can lead to hypertension.

Magnesium is excellent at relieving pain, too.t does this by blocking a pain receptor calledhe NMDA receptor. It’s great to have on boardfter a workout (or to take preemptively beforene) to keep your muscles from tightening up.

Other studies on the effects of magnesiumave found that it helps people suffering fromeadaches and premenstrual syndrome, too.

But more to the point about magnesium andctivity, our bodies tend to burn through these

minerals at a very fast rate when we are

hysically active – so they aren’t going to storep in the body as you might imagine. In fact,ne endurance study showed that magnesium

wasn’t being stored in the bones, and anotherwith ultra-endurance athletes showed thatndividuals in the study – and by extensionnyone in heavy activity – was very likely to beeficient in magnesium and zinc.

This study found that while the participants’utrient intake was generally adequate, they

were deficient in magnesium and zinc –specially male athletes. They recommended

etter nutritional education for anyone engagedn strenuous activity. But, that brings up auestion – if well-trained athletes have a toughime getting the nutrients they need, whatbout the rest of us? Is it any wonder that we’reften tired and have a difficult time recoveringrom weekend chores around the yard?

Like the iron in this formula, I recommend alycinate chelated form. It is extremely well-bsorbed and used by the body, and doesn’t

leave excess magnesium in the digestive tractwhich can attract water and create loosestools. Beyond that, you want to make sureyour magnesium is a high-quality supplement,because poorly-absorbed forms can interferewith iron absorption as well.

Copper: A Valuable Health ResourceCopper is a must. Along with iron, copperhelps build healthy blood cells, so it is a vitalcomponent in any supplementation for energyand endurance. Without copper, anemia isalmost certain to follow, along with heartdisease, blood sugar issues, and arthritis.

In fact, one of the first times copper showedscientifically demonstrated importance waswhen malnourished children in Peru didn’t

respond to iron therapy to treat their anemia.When copper was supplemented, their healthturned around.

Aside from blood cell formation, copper iscrucial for transporting iron in red blood cells,strengthening the immune system, and helpingbuild strong bones.

The copper I recommend as part of thiscombination has been well studied forabsorption and benefits. Like the others, it isan amino acid glycinate chelate form. Studiesat the University of Nevada-Reno and at Yalehave shown that it has 85% of the free-radicalscavenging power of superoxide dismutase, anenzyme we produce naturally (but is availablefrom a bovine source as a supplement) toneutralize oxygen reactive species.

In a study involving participants both withand without rheumatoid arthritis, the chelatedcopper helped boost levels of cellular superoxidedismutase, helping fend off potential cellulardamage to muscles.

Zinc: A Healing MineralGenerally, if a person is deficient in onemineral, they are deficient in many of them.Zinc is no exception.

Zinc helps the body heal muscles, tendons, andligaments in the event of small muscle tearsthat often happen when we’re active. Withoutadequate zinc, however, these tears can keepyou from being active again. In models of

wounds or tissue stress, zinc concentratiothe injured site peaks after a few days, usaround the time you notice the strain the

Zinc deficiency also means reduced glutathione levels. Glutathione is a nantioxidant produced by the body that prour cells from oxidative damage, which cheavy during times of intense exercise, the muscles require oxygen-rich red cells. Zinc deficiency has also been linkdepression and anxiety disorders, so boozinc intake may be part of a more ntreatment option that doesn’t carry the and side-effects of conventional approaZinc provides an excellent way to help sua healthy body and mind.

It’s important to have a well-absorbed sumental source, and a glycinate chelated fozinc is the one I recommend for this combin

Mineral Deficiencies Are CommonResearch shows that mineral deficienciesto occur in groups. Even though the problem may be a lack of iron in a dsupplement regimen, there are usually missing minerals as well. A lot of times,we think about people with poor dieinadequate supplementation, we say thathave vitamin deficiencies. That may bebut it’s probably more accurate to say thathave mineral deficiencies instead.

Don’t be one of them! Be sure you have foundation of iron, magnesium, copper, anas some of your core nutrients, and you’energized for the great days ahead!

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When in doubt, always consult your physician or health care practitioner. This column is to provide you with information to maintain your health.