# Iron is a vital nutrient Iron is a very important nutrient to our health and growth. Iron deficiency in children has been linked with low IQ and poor concentration, and iron intake during pregnancy with the quality of the baby's grey matter at birth. ==**Heme iron, found in meat and fish, is more bio-available than non-heme iron, found in plants**==. It is suspected of being carcinogenic, but the 2005 WHO reports says that there is still "inadequte evidence" for this hypothesis. By contrast, nearly 1 billion people might suffer from anemia caused by iron deficiency, and heme deficiency might be a factor in cognitive decline. Ferritin, the storage form of iron, has been linked with visceral fat and insulin resistance. However, it is probable that ==**obesity, inflammation or daily alcohol intake are the causes of ferritin**==, and not the reverse. **Donating blood or therapeutic blood letting can help with decreasing iron levels**, which can be a good thing. Indeed, blood donors have lower rates of heart disease and cancer. --- ## 📚 References - [[@whativelearnedMeatGrowsBrain2020|Meat: Grows the Brain or Rusts the Body?]]