10 Things to Avoid If You Have Hyperferritinemia (Iron Overload)
If you’ve been diagnosed with hyperferritinemia, it’s important to take action and manage it properly.
Having too much iron in your body can cause many health problems, so you should make smart choices about how you live your life.
In this helpful guide, we’ll talk about ten things you should stay away from if you have hyperferritinemia.
By following these suggestions, you can improve your health and reduce the chances of any problems.
So, let’s explore the steps you can take to keep your iron levels in balance and stay healthy.
10 Things to Avoid If You Have Hyperferritinemia
Table of Contents
Although ferritin is important for storing iron, having too much of it is not good for your health.
You can take simple steps to control your iron levels and stay healthy.
Here are ten key things you should steer clear of if you have iron overload:
1. Iron-Rich Foods
To manage iron overload, an important step is to avoid eating foods that have a lot of iron.
These include red meat, shellfish, and fortified cereals. To prevent more iron from building up in your body, limit how much iron-rich foods you eat.
2. Vitamin C Supplements
Vitamin C helps your body absorb iron better. Avoid taking vitamin C supplements and eating too many foods with lots of vitamin C, like oranges.
Pay attention to how much vitamin C is in any dietary supplements you’re using.
3. Alcohol
Drinking alcohol can harm your liver and mess with how your body handles iron. If you have too much iron in your blood, reduce alcohol intake completely to prevent making the condition worse.
4. Raw Shellfish
Eating raw shellfish, such as oysters and clams, can be risky because it causes bacterial infections.
People with too much iron in their bodies are more vulnerable to certain infections, and eating raw shellfish can make this risk even higher. Make sure to cook all seafood thoroughly before eating it.
5. Iron Supplements
Unless a healthcare professional tells you to take them, it’s best to steer clear of iron supplements if you have too much iron in your body.
Taking more iron supplements can make your iron levels go even higher and make the condition worse.
6. Excessive Vitamin A
Getting too much vitamin A from supplements, and foods that are high in vitamin A can make iron overload worse.
To manage iron overload, you should be mindful of how much vitamin A you consume from foods. Also, talk to your healthcare provider before taking any vitamin A supplements.
7. Excessive Red Wine
Red wine contains compounds that helps your body absorb iron more easily.
Taking excessive amounts of red wine can disrupt iron metabolism and contribute to iron overload.
It is advisable to limit consumption of red wine and any alcoholic beverages.
8. Unnecessary Blood Transfusions
Blood transfusions are important for certain medical conditions related to iron overload.
However, it’s best to avoid getting transfusions when they are not necessary.
Every time you receive a blood transfusion, more iron is added to your body, and this makes iron overload gets even worse.
9. High Consumption of Processed Foods
Many processed foods like canned soups and ready-to-eat meals often have extra iron added to them.
To avoid taking in too much iron, read the labels on these foods and be cautious about how much you eat.
10. Self-medication and Herbal Supplements
If you have hyperferritinemia, try to avoid self-medication. Taking herbal supplements without medical guidance will make the condition become more serious.
Some herbal remedies can affect how your body processes iron, so you need to be cautious.
Takeaway
To manage hyperferritinemia, be mindful of what you eat and how you live. This means being careful about certain foods you consume and the way you live your life.
By avoiding iron-rich foods, limiting alcohol consumption, and being cautious about certain supplements and medications, you can manage hyperferritinemia.
Don’t forget, these suggestions are general, but you can still get tailored advice from a doctor to help you manage the condition.
