foods / supplements to help reduce iron overload

Hi everyone,
Ari just turned 10 months today and so far he has had 7 transfusions. His ferritin is already around 500. I was wondering if anyone knows of any supplements or foods and dosages I can give him to help with removal.  I'm aware of some items but I have heard most of these cannot be used until later in life. Any help will be great!

Hi Carisma ,

Your son is quite young as you said yourself,only thing that comes to my mind is tea after meals,but i don't know if you'd be comfortable giving tea to such young child,i hope someone wlse comes up with something.

Zaini.

Hi Carisma,

IP6 capsules, readily available from most vitamin sellers online, can be opened and mixed with liquid (no milk products, as IP6 reacts with protein, thereby limiting its usefulness) and taken with the liquid. IP6 is a natural iron chelator that is also a powerful antioxidant, which helps protect cells from iron oxidation damage. One capsule per day will suffice at this age. Vitamin E can also be taken at an early age. 5 drops of this product will supply 100 IU daily. http://www.puritan.com/e-vitamins-103/natural-vitamin-e-oil-30000-iu-000810?searchterm=vitamin%20e%20liquid&rdcnt=1&page=1&sortOrder=2  Natural Vitamin E is a most important antioxidant. I absolutely recommend it to all, thal and non-thal. It is specifically needed by thals who test almost universally deficient in E, as it is quickly depleted by the oxidative stresses found in thalassemia. Iron is a major cause of this oxidation.

what is green tea

Efficacy of curcuminoids in alleviation of iron overload and lipid peroxidation in thalassemic mice.
Curcuminoids (CUR) exhibits many pharmacological activities and presents beta-diketone group to bind metal ions. Iron-chelating capacity of CUR was investigated in thalassemic mice.
Clearly, CUR is effective in chelation of plasma NTBI in iron-loaded thalassemic mice. Consequently, it can alleviate iron toxicity and harmfulness of free radicals. In prospective, efficacy of curcumin in removal of labile iron pool (LIP) in hepatocytes and cardiomyocytes are essential for investigation.

PMID: 19534681

Iron chelation in the biological activity of curcumin
Yan Jiaoa, John Wilkinson IVa, c, E. Christine Pietschb, Joan L.
Bussa,
Wei Wanga, c, Roy Planalpd, Frank M. Tortia, c and Suzy V. Tortib,
c, ,
aDepartment of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University Health
Sciences,
Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
bBiochemistry, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem,
NC 27157, USA
cComprehensive Cancer Center, Wake Forest University Health Sciences,
Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
dDepartment of Chemistry, University of New Hampshire, Durham NH, USA


Received 15 June 2005; revised 29 October 2005; accepted 1 November
2005. Available online 29 November 2005.


Abstract
Curcumin is among the more successful chemopreventive compounds
investigated in recent years, and is currently in human trials to
prevent cancer. The mechanism of action of curcumin is complex and
likely multifactorial. We have made the unexpected observation that
curcumin strikingly modulates proteins of iron metabolism in cells
and
in tissues, suggesting that curcumin has properties of an iron
chelator. Curcumin increased mRNA levels of ferritin and GSTa in
cultured liver cells. Unexpectedly, however, although levels of GSTa
protein increased in parallel with mRNA levels in response to
curcumin,
levels of ferritin protein declined. Since iron chelators repress
ferritin translation, we considered that curcumin may act as an iron
chelator. To test this hypothesis, we measured the effect of curcumin
on transferrin receptor 1, a protein stabilized under conditions of
iron limitation, as well as the ability of curcumin to activate iron
regulatory proteins (IRPs). Both transferrin receptor 1 and activated
IRP, indicators of iron depletion, increased in response to curcumin.
Consistent with the hypothesis that curcumin acts as an iron
chelator,
mice that were fed diets supplemented with curcumin exhibited a
decline
in levels of ferritin protein in the liver. These results suggest
that
iron chelation may be an additional mode of action of curcumin.


Keywords: Chelator; Chemoprevention; Curcumin; Iron; Ferritin;
Glutathione S-transferase; Free radicals


Abbreviations: GST, glutathione S-transferase; NQO1, NAD(P)H:quinone
oxidoreductase 1; IRPs, iron regulatory proteins; IRE, iron-
responsive
element; SDS, sodium dodecyl sulfate; DMEM, Dulbecco's modified
Eagle's
medium; TfR, transferrin receptor; BSA-PBS, bovine serum
albumin-phosphate-buffered saline; PMSF, phenylmethylsulfonyl
fluoride


Supported in part by grants from the American Institute for Cancer
Research (S.V.T.), NIH Grant R37 DK 42412 (F.M.T.), and KO1 DK065876
(J.W.).
Corresponding author. Department of Biochemistry, Wake Forest
University Health Sciences, Winston Salem, NC 27157. Fax: +1 336 716
0255.


doi:10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2005.11.003
Copyright © 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Original Contribution

Wawww, seems there are lot of benefits behind curcumin, thanks for sharing
manal

What are oxidative stresses?

There is another aspect to be considered with the chelating natural substances like curcumin, tea and IP6, among others. These substances chelate where desferal and Exjade have a hard time reaching, so they have added value beyond their measurable affect on iron stores. Look at these substances as necessary additions to the chelation regimen, as they will help to protect the brain, the heart and the glands.

http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/oxidative+stress

oxidative stress
A term used to describe the effect of oxidation in which an abnormal level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as the free radicals (e.g. hydroxyl, nitric acid, superoxide) or the non-radicals (e.g. hydrogen peroxide, lipid peroxide) lead to damage (called oxidative damage) to specific molecules with consequential injury to cells or tissue. Increased production of ROS occurs as a result of fungal or viral infection, inflammation, ageing, UV radiation, pollution, excessive alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, etc. Removal or neutralization of ROS is achieved with antioxidants, endogenous (e.g. catalase, glutathione, superoxide dismutase) or exogenous (e.g. vitamins A, C, E, bioflavonoids, carotenoids). Oxidative damage to the eye, particularly the retina and the lens, is a contributing factor to age-related macular degeneration and cataract.

Oxidative stress is a major problem in blood disorders and this is why antioxidants are so highly stressed in these disorders. They can make a huge difference to one's health.

Andy,

I am a bit confused...

Does tea chelate the already absoarbed iron or prevent absorption in the first place????Dore has once posted a study that found that tea pevents up to 60% on non-hem iron that is found in vegetables from being absorbed and found that tea does not affect the absorption on hem iron ( i will try to find the link to the study)


Manal

Tea does both. It inhibits absorption of non-heme iron but is also an iron chelator. I recently posted a link to another study that was sent me by Jan. The post is at http://www.thalassemiapatientsandfriends.com/index.php?topic=1535.msg37009#msg37009

Drinking tea is healthy, but if more benefit is wanted, drink tea and take green tea extract. Chelation and antioxidants and very safe to use.

I wonder if this ever worked out.

"May be a suitable iron-adsorbing agent in biological systems."

Evaluation of Chitosan As a Potential Medical Iron (III) Ion
Adsorbent
Turk J Med Sci
30 (2000) 341-348© TÜBŒTAK341
Abstract:
Chitosan, a derivative of the natural polysaccharide chitin, is known
for its biocompatibility and metal-binding capacity.
The aim of this study was to combine these two properties of chitosan
and investigate its potential as a new iron (III) ion (ferric ion)
adsorbing agent.
The development of a safe and orally active iron chelating agent is
especially important for the treatment of thalassemics.
In this study, the physicochemical parameters affecting the ability
of
chitosan flakes to adsorb iron (III)ions were studied by
complexometrictitration.
The results showed that the iron(III) adsorption capacity of chitosan
increases with the amount of chitosan, degree of deacetylation of
chitosan, concentration of ferric ions in solution and with the pH of
the medium.
The amount of ferric ions that adsorb on the polymer increases with
time until an equilibrium is reached between adsorbed iron (III) ions
and those in solution.
Preliminary in vitro results obtained in human blood serum indicate
that chitosan is capable of adsorbing iron (III) ions in the body
fluid medium and may be a suitable iron-adsorbing agent in biological
systems.
Key Words: chitin, chitosan, iron-chelation


-­­­-----

Iron chelation in the biological activity of curcumin

Med Chem. 2011 Jan 1;7(1):62-9.

Reversal of cardiac iron loading and dysfunction in thalassemic mice by curcuminoids.
Thephinlap C, Phisalaphong C, Lailerd N, Chattipakorn N, Winichagoon P, Vadolus J, Fucharoen S, Porter JB, Srichairatanakool S.

Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200 Thailand, ssrichai@med.cmu.ac.th.

Abstract
Non-transferrin bound iron (NTBI) is found in plasma of β-thalassemia patients and causes oxidative tissue damage. Cardiac siderosis and complications are the secondary cause of death in β-thalassemia major patients. Desferrioxamine (DFO), deferiprone (DFP) and deferasirox (DFX) are promising chelators used to get negative iron balance and improve life quality. DFP has been shown to remove myocardial iron effectively. Curcuminoids (CUR) can chelate plasma NTBI, inhibit lipid peroxidation and alleviate cardiac autonomic imbalance. Effects of CUR on cardiac iron deposition and function were investigated in iron-loaded mice. Wild type ((mu)β(+/+) WT) and heterozygous β-knockout ((mu)β(th-3/+) BKO) mice (C57BL/6) were fed with ferrocene-supplemented diet (Fe diet) and coincidently intervened with CUR and DFP for 2 months. Concentrations of plasma NTBI and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured using HPLC techniques. Heart iron concentration was determined based on atomic absorption spectrophotometry and Perl's staining methods. Short-term electrocardiogram (ECG) was recorded with AD Instruments Power Lab, and heart rate variability (HRV) was evaluated using MATLAB 7.0 program. Fe diet increased levels of NTBI and MDA in plasma, nonheme iron and iron deposit in heart tissue significantly, and depressed the HRV, which the levels were higher in the BKO mice than the WT mice. CUR and DFP treatments lowered plasma NTBI as well as MDA concentrations (p <0.05), heart iron accumulation effectively, and also improved the HRV in the treated mice. The results imply that CUR would be effective in decreasing plasma NTBI and myocardial iron, alleviating lipid peroxidation and improving cardiac function in iron-loaded thalassemic mice.

PMID: 21235521

What type of tea should be given to a 2 1/2 year old?