From: Robert J. Bradbury (bradbury@aeiveos.com)
Date: Thu Jan 16 2003 - 11:27:52 MST
Well, it appears to be raining shoes again. For the last
decade or so (ever since I found out iron was a contributing
(pro-oxidant) factor for DNA damage), I've speculated that
there should be negative consequences with respect to cancer
and aging for people who have hemochromatosis (a genetic
condition that causes excessive iron accumulation in the body).
This recent report based on work from researchers at UNC
(Chapel Hill) seems to confirm this:
Iron Overload Gene Tied To Colon Cancer Increased Risk
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/01/030116074236.htm
It raises some interesting questions about whether our friends
in scandinavian countries, where the HFE gene mutations seem
to be more common, should be promoting both national testing
programs and chelation therapy to lower iron levels.
It is also worth noting that the regulation of iron absorption
and retention may be one of the classic examples that could be
cited regarding genetic mis-programming by evolution. Women lose
iron every month -- men (at least in non hazardous environments)
do not. So a robust genetic program should regulate iron absorption
and retention under the influence of sex hormones (e.g. estrogen
or testosterone). To my knowledge that has never been demonstrated.
Though I've never seen any evidence to support it -- periodic
iron loss might be one of the reasons women live, on average,
longer than men.
Robert
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