Re: Re: Just joined and have a question.

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http://www.irondisorders.org/absorption Absorption of iron is one of the first steps in iron metabolism. Metabolism is a process of chemical interactions that generate energy from food that you eat. Iron metabolism is the part of the process that manages iron in the body. Abnormal iron metabolism can result in too much or too little iron in the body, which can cause poor health or even death.Iron enters

the stomach where it is exposed to stomach acid and changed into a form that allows it to be absorbed. The portion of the small intestine called the duodenum is the chief area where iron absorption takes place. There may be a second minor absorption site near the end of the small intestinal tract.Once iron is absorbed it is carried (transported) by a protein called transferrin. Each molecule of transferrin can carry two atoms of iron. When working normally, transferrin binds to iron, and transports it to all tissues, vital organs, and bone marrow, so that normal metabolism, DNA synthesis, and red blood cell production can take place. Recently scientists have discovered that transferrin does not work completely alone in the transport of iron. Ceruloplasmin a major copper-containing protein in plasma is also involved in iron transport. Iron needs adequate amounts of copper to reach some of its intended destinations, such as the brain.Transferrin is the major transporter of iron and ideally should be about 25-35% saturated with iron. Transferrin molecules that are heavily loaded (saturated) lose the ability to hold onto (bind) iron. Unbound or free iron is highly destructive and dangerous. Unbound iron can trigger free radical activity, which can cause cell death, and destroy DNA. Unbound iron is sometimes called uncontrolled iron. One place that transferrin carries iron to is ferritin. Ferritin is a protein that acts like a large holding vessel. Ferritin contains iron that we don't presently need. It is sometimes called an iron storage protein. Ferritin is produced by nearly every cell of the body. The brain contains huge amounts of ferritin, so does the liver. Ferritin is a very large molecule; one ferritin molecule alone can hold up to 4, 500 atoms of iron.Elevated serum ferritin can be a sign that the person has inflammation due to disease, or that potential disease causing factors such as iron overload may be present.Like transferrin, ferritin can also become unstable, and ineffective. Think of ferritin like a big sink; when this sink gets full, ferritin and its iron can be

changed into something called hemosiderin.

Hi dolly, don`t no much about the feritin but high is OK I think! if you have one autoimmune problem then sometimes you get another. for the inflammation Angel.