Iron and carbohydrate restriction
Iron and carbohydrate restriction
Good morning everyone. This is the owner of Fusubon. This time, I will talk about iron and carbohydrate restriction.
When you think of iron deficiency, what comes to mind? Anemia is probably the first thing that comes to mind.
It is true that iron is a nutrient necessary for the synthesis of hemoglobin, which supplies oxygen to the entire body, but it also has three other important roles.
The three roles of iron
①Iron is a cofactor in the production of the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine.
②Iron is essential for catalase, a scavenger that protects the body from toxic reactive oxygen species.
③Iron is essential for the electron transport chain in the mitochondrial membrane.
Cited from "Iron deficiency is the cause of depression and panic attacks" by Tokumi Fujikawa
Regarding ①, I'm sure you all know that serotonin and dopamine are neurotransmitters that produce calm and pleasure.
When there is a deficiency of iron, the above neurotransmitters are not produced properly, which is why the title of the book states that "Depression and Panic are Caused by Iron Deficiency."
Regarding ②, it is a little difficult, but
Catalase contains a heme as a prosthetic group, to which iron is coordinated.
Cited from "Iron deficiency is the cause of depression and panic attacks" by Tokumi Fujikawa
This means that the iron absorbed into catalase plays a major role in the reaction in which catalase neutralizes active oxygen.
(For more information on active oxygen and antioxidant enzymes, please see this article .)
The relationship between iron and carbohydrate restriction
Regarding point 3, iron is needed for the production of ATP in the citric acid cycle. Without iron, the citric acid cycle, which converts fat into energy, does not function properly.
This creates a vicious cycle of lack of energy and craving more glucose.
Based on the above three points, if you cannot get enough iron through your diet, we recommend taking a blood test and if your ferritin (stored iron) level is low (below 100ng/ml), we also recommend supplementing with a supplement. Dr. Mizoguchi and Dr. Fujikawa have different opinions on whether heme iron or chelated iron is better, so if you plan to take iron intermittently, get advice from your doctor or pharmacist.
When restricting carbohydrates, many people go as far as eating a low-carb, high-protein diet, but few also consume quality lipids, and even fewer people also properly consume vitamins and minerals.
In addition to iron, there are other vitamins and minerals that are necessary for carbohydrate restriction.
This time we have mentioned the importance of iron, but vitamin B, vitamin D, vitamin E, magnesium, and zinc are also necessary for the citric acid cycle to function .
Carbohydrate restriction is often talked about as a simple diet that only involves limiting carbohydrate intake, but true carbohydrate restriction is surprisingly not so easy to understand and put into practice.
Fusubon is not only low in carbohydrates, but also high in protein and fat, and is rich in minerals.
Bran is rich in vitamins and minerals, containing 50g of dietary fiber, 103mg of calcium, 15mg of iron, 520mg of magnesium, and 11mg of zinc per 100g.
Please try incorporating Fusubon into your low-carb lifestyle! See you again soon!
