Iron Toxicity Post #72: Iron deficiency is associated with RESISTANCE to infection

Iron Toxicity Post #72: Iron deficiency is associated with RESISTANCE to infection

by | Jun 12, 2018 | Iron Toxicity Posts

HUH? What did you just say?

Recently, I had just settled down to my companion cup of Joe and started to read some ancient studies (~8-10 yrs old) by noted Harvard Biochemist and Geneticist, Marianne Wessling-Resnick, PhD, when I was struck by two key phrases from these two seminal studies:

“…Iron deficiency is associated with relative resistance to infection, while iron supplements reverse this effect [7-9].”

Source: Wang, L., Wessling-Resnick, M. et al. (2008). Attenuated inflammatory responses in hemochromatosis reveal a role for iron in the regulation of macrophage cytokine translation

“The evidence that supplemental Iron can promote both Infections and chronic inflammatory diseases is clear…”

Source: Wessling-Resnick, M. (2010). Iron Homeostasis and the Inflammatory Response

Please read those two sentences, again.

Please re-read those two sentences, one more time!

Please print out both articles for your doctor, ask them to read those two articles and especially those two sentences, and then ask them this key question:

“Doctor, to what extent could the iron supplements / infusions that I’ve taken be a key contributing factor to the infections that we’ve been trying to treat?” 

Not an easy question to ask, but an essential one under the circumstances

For those interested in getting the three sources that inspired that 1st quotation, here they are:

Folks, please stop taking iron supplements and infusions until you fully understand what is truly going on with your dynamics of your copper<>iron metabolism!

The “battle for Iron” is well-depicted by Fig 2 at the top of this post, and as we’ll see, it is really regulated by copper, and not by iron, and certainly not by iron levels.

At the risk of piling on, let me share yet another citation:

“The hypoferremia [an abnormal deficiency of iron in the blood] of infection was documented in seminal studies by George E. Cartwright, MD [and other colleagues at the University of Utah in the 1940s – 1960’s] who noted a precipitous drop in plasma iron levels upon intramuscular inoculation of canines with Staphylococcus aureus. A similar hypoferremic response was noted upon intravenous injection with sterile turpentine, suggesting that Inflammation, rather than a specific microbial product, was responsible for declining plasma iron levels (Cartwright et al., 1946).”

Source: Cassat, J.E., Skaar, E.P. (2013). Iron in Infection and Immunity

Please note the portrait of George E. Cartwright, MD below – you might say a prayer of thanks for his genius to uncover the truth of anemia – and take note of the key process of ferroxidase to oxidize iron to enable proper iron-loading of transferrin that is profiled on the blackboard behind him.

Let me share these truths again:

  • 95% of our daily iron requirement (~25mg) comes from our “Iron Recycling System”, the Reticuloendothelial System (RES) as known as. R.E.cycling S.ystem.
  • No more than 5% (~1mg) is meant to come through our diet

Yes, only 1mg of our daily iron requirement is meant to come through our mouth.

As you might expect in a post-1984! World, the emphasis today is entirely on “absorbing iron in our diet,” which is in total conflict with, and opposite of, the natural, physiological reality that 95% of our daily iron is meant to be re-assembled & recycled because it’s already inside our body!

Please know that I have had conversations with 3 leading iron researchers (James F. Collins, Ph.D., Robert Crichton, Ph.D., and Sir Douglas B. Kell, Ph.D.) and they all agree: We should only get 1 – 1.5mg/day via oral intake.

I wonder how many Ph.D. iron researchers the typical practitioner has spoken to?  

Aside from your typical iron-fortified diet, have you ever checked to see just how much Iron has been added to your daily multivitamin or prenatal?

20mg? 35mg?

The RCP “course record” was set just a few weeks ago with a client from Texas whose obstetrician had her taking 325mg Iron tablets — TWICE a day for an entire month! OMg!

THAT’S 53 YEARS WORTH OF IRON IN ONE MONTH!

She burst into tears when she realized what had happened.

And as you might expect, this iron level of supplementation was based on a ferritin-only blood test, which is the most flawed and dysfunctional blood marker that is used, IMHO.

Again, the focus was on “Iron by mouth,” not “Iron by recycling!”

Now here’s the penetrating truth: Copper regulates iron, keeps it mobilized and ensures that the 95% iron R.E.cycling requirement is met – each and every day!

Yes, I’ve said that before, but I’m always on the look for compelling studies and diagrams that prove these critical points about copper being the key to iron R.E.cycling and iron mobilization.

What is particularly important and especially relevant to our discussion in this post, is the central role that bioavailable copper plays in ensuring that iron presents properly in the blood and “serum iron” is a known measure for that elusive “Miles per Gallon” marker.

Please study the “The Battle For Iron” diagram to see the movement and fluxes of copper that are meant to take place daily that are designed to ensure that iron mobilization does, in fact, take place.

If the bioavailability and biodynamics of your copper are off, then you can assume and bank on your iron being dysfunctional.

Translation: that means the iron will show low in the blood, especially in the key blood marker, serum iron, which is akin to “Miles Per Gallon!” WHY?

Because iron has been recruited (sequestered) to macrophages (“Professional PAC-men” in charge of the iron R.E.cycling S.ystem) to ensure that the iron is not available for the pathogens that hang out in the blood, and furthermore, to prevent this precious iron from enabling their very pathogenic activity.

The “Hypoferremia” (low iron in the blood) that ensues is the very hallmark of “Anemia of Chronic Inflammation,” which I regard as a pandemic on this planet, in large part because of the lack in understanding of copper metabolism.

There is compelling scientific research to back up my assertions, as I share regularly in these posts.

As noted above, we have known about this iron-ic hypoferremic dynamic since Dr. Cartwright and his colleagues (Roeser, Wintrobe, Gruber, Lee, & Nacht) did their pioneering studies in the 1940s.

For those seeking more proof of this Cu-nundrum, here are two clear and compelling studies:

So if you’re basing your perception and belief that you’re anemic because of flawed ferritin-only blood tests, then you are misled in seeing the real story behind your now “iron toxic” body that is showing your iron is low in the blood, but silent on the iron in the macrophages!

Please understand, I get 2 – 3 calls & messages daily, mostly from women, who happen upon one or more of my interviews about the truth of iron toxicity, and the abject deception of “hypoferremia” that presents as “low iron” in very incomplete blood tests.

In my humble opinion, this iron poisoning of the planet, and its inhabitants, simply needs to stop.

We need more insight and understanding, not more iron!

Please know, I sleep very well knowing that I’m doing my level best to correct these misperceptions and this fake news narrative regarding this alleged anemia crisis.

An important question for you to ponder: 

Can your medical provider say the same?

And should you still have doubts about what I’m saying here, please take the time to peruse these two outstanding studies to learn what excess, unbound Iron can and does do to create a wide spectrum of conditions, syndromes, maladies, and diseases in the human body:

In the immortal words of Alvin Toffler, author of Future Shock:

“There is much to learn, to Unlearn and Relearn,”

Especially when it comes to properly understand, assess and act on the copper<>iron metabolism in the human body.

I am convinced that correcting this one diagnostic error of “anemia” (using ferritin-only blood tests) would correct upwards of 75% of all the chronic conditions that plague earthlings on this planet!

That’s a bold assertion, but then I’ve got a rather large window to the world via our ever-growing MAG FB Group, and also have the benefit of a decade of some 5,000 client encounters, as well as the intense, minerals-oriented daily research to draw on as a critical reference point for that observation.

Please know, the path to becoming “independently healthy” has many choices.

Hopefully, this Post and the 72 before it, and the many more to follow, will enable you and your loved ones to choose wisely.

A votre sante!

Morley M. Robbins

https://www.facebook.com/groups/MagnesiumAdvocacy/posts/1745871108814284/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Iron Toxicity Post #71: There is no iron deficiency anemia on planet earth, but there is a pandemic of anemia adiponectin deficiency

Iron Toxicity Post #71: There is no iron deficiency anemia on planet earth, but there is a pandemic of anemia adiponectin deficiency

by | May 25, 2018 | Iron Toxicity Posts, Research

There is no anemia on planet earth, but there is a pandemic of anemia!

Where are we headed today? This will also be known as “anemic advisory action alert #1!”

Folks, I’ve had it. It is appalling how conventional practitioners are about “anemia” vs. “anemia, which involves retinol-A!”

I intend to introduce several key concepts in this post to set the stage for future posts and explorations about the abject unawareness of what’s causing copper<>iron dysregulation. The ubiquitous condition of low functional iron, that is lazily and incorrectly being called anemia or iron deficiency, when it is anything but that! It’s time to set the record straight!

Let me explain further, as you well know that this is not the first time that I have made this assertion.

Anemia, as we will learn going forward, is very much a key and contributing factor for the rampant level of metabolic dysfunction and mineral dysregulation that is gripping the failing life-force of earthlings.

There are numerous factors that allow this anemic condition to exist and be the scourge that it truly is:

  • Vitamin A (Retinol) deficient diet, as known as the low fat diet that we have been held hostage for the past 62+ years (since President Eisenhower had his 1st of 8 heart attacks in September, 1955)
  • Adiponectin deficiency, a key and little discussed hormone whose dysfunctions are the gateway to insulin resistance, atherosclerosis, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, fatty acid dysregulation, PCOS, weight gain and obesity, increased inflammation, as well as increased oxidative stress. Intriguing right?

You might re-read this second bullet point again slowly to absorb the penetrating importance of adiponectin (APN, produced by the ADIPOQ gene) inside our liver and adipocytes (fat cells) that is noted below in the 1st diagram. That list of clinical conditions is the Who’s Who of chronic conditions that our loved ones and we are all suffering from.

  • Aceruloplasminemia is the vacuous lack of bioavailable copper and ferroxidase enzyme that when not available to our physiology then results in the dysregulation of iron inside our cells and inside our mitochondria. Please note, that restoring this Mt. Everest enzyme to its rightful place in our metabolism is the pre-eminent focus of the Root Cause Protocol (RCP).
  • Abundance of dysfunctional iron that gets stuck in our macrophages, the professional Pac-men that form the backbone of the daily iron R.E.cycling system, and as a consequence, the iron shows low in the serum blood test, but is notably high in the tissue. That tissue location for iron never gets measured in any kind of standard iron panel.
  • Misinformation regarding the truth of hormone-D metabolism, its utter dependence on magnesium for proper regulation and the devastating impact hormone-D supplements (from a bottle) are having on our innate retinol metabolism in our eyes, in our liver, and most of all, in our genes! (Please take a peek at the 2nd diagram below)
  • Allopathic blood testing that venerates iron level (via a dipstick measure) in serum ferritin, and totally ignores iron homeostasis (via an MPG measure!) found in:
  • Our daily iron R.E.cycling system (RES) and is best measured by serum iron status
  • Our oxygen-carrying capacity (70% of our iron) and is best measured by serum haemoglobin
  • Activation of NLRP3-Inflammasome; which is the nuclear gateway to anemia of chronic inflammation (ACI) that is ubiquitous in its prevalence and causes iron to be sequestered by the macrophages. The macrophages are evolutionarily trained to protect our organs from iron-seeking pathogens (PAMPs) and dangers (DAMPs). Trust me, there is lots more to say about that.
  • The assassination of oxygen activation by excess, unbound iron that affects a spectrum of multi-copper oxidases with iron-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidants (otherwise known as accidents with oxygen). The two notable classes of copper enzymes to keep track of:
  • Cytochrome c oxidase (Complex IV) that makes cellular energy, all over our body.
  • Antioxidant enzymes (FOX, SOD, CAT, GPx, PON1, etc.) that regulate iron status and oxidative stress.

I will be focusing on these and related factors in coming posts and will be sure to provide proper scientific studies and notations to back-up my statements.

I simply wanted to drop some truth bombs to activate your neurons and allow you to assimilate on a deeper and more extensive level, some of the missing factors in this quest for metabolic truth. Especially as it relates to our mineral buddies, magnesium, copper and iron.

Bottom line: We have been grossly misled, and misinformed for the past century!

The series of dietary mistakes is building cumulatively generationally, in large part but not solely due to the following practices:

  • 100+yrs of NPK-based agricultural practices
  • 75yrs of iron fortification in our grains
  • 60+yrs of a low fat diet that stopped access to retinol
  • 25yrs of crops being drowned in glyphosate and
  • 20yrs of hormone-D supplements based on soy, and not the sun!

We have much to discus and discuss, we will.

And in closing, let me encourage each of you to watch the relatively new film by Australian Chef, Pete Evans, entitled The Magic Pill.

I would sincerely and formally request that this thread not devolve into a religious war of Paleos vs. Vegans – that is the farthest thing from my mind.

What I do want to do is highlight the penetrating comment that Rangan Chatterjee, MD, (2001 Graduate of the University of Edinburgh Medical School) and star of BBC One series, Doctor in the House. has to share with his cameo appearance in this film. Despite his brief role, he asks sterling, critical and stunning question of the audience:

“What are you eating?”

It is a topic that warrants further exploration, especially in light of the numerous factors that are enumerated above that are clearly decimating and assassinating our metabolism.

It is high time we take stock of how natural, how unprocessed, and most importantly, how organic is our diet to ensure that we are getting the nutrients and cofactors that are essential to ensure optimal metabolic function.

What do we need in our diet?

  • Minerals, especially magnesium!
  • Healthy fats, especially retinol
  • Bioavailable copper (which is fat soluble!)
  • Organically grown and prepared foods

What have we been subjected to?

  • Sugars, that leach minerals, especially magnesium and potassium
  • Omega-6 oils, that attract iron and cause inflammation
  • Iron fortification and supplementation on a scale we cannot comprehend!
  • Glyphosate (Round-Up) that chelates minerals

To paraphrase Dr. Chatterjee’s insightful question, 

“What in the world are we eating?”

What is becoming increasingly clear to me is how interrelated all of these factors are, and while I’m introducing a new metabolite, adiponectin, you will take comfort in knowing that in the presence of retinol deficiency and a lack of bioavailable copper, this blockbuster hormone simply loses its effectiveness and regulatory zeal. When you take stock of the breadth and depth of this hormone’s dysfunction, it is not hard to see that this element, too, has been yet another, in a series of unintended consequences from this past century of dietary decisions to dictate our health.

So, we have more to explore with these and related issues and in the spirit of the Memorial weekend, I wish you all well, as we start yet another summer season in North American and another winter season down under! May it be a safe and relaxing weekend for all, and I’ll look forward to your comments and questions, as well as our continued exploration of these amazing factors in the coming weeks.

Danke for your time and attention!

A votre sante!

Morley Robbins

For Facebook Discussion:
www.facebook.com/groups/MagnesiumAdvocacy/permalink/1720438458024216/

Toxicity Post #69: Retinol-A is an absolute requirement for building blood and especially hemoglobin.

Toxicity Post #69: Retinol-A is an absolute requirement for building blood and especially hemoglobin.

by | May 2, 2018 | Iron Toxicity Posts, Research

The Irony of Retinol!

This post will introduce what will become a series of posts focusing on real vitamin-A, as known as retinol, the animal-based form of that key nutrient. (Retinol-A is very different in role and function that beta-carotene)

Real vitamin-A (retinol-A) has been a part of the Root Cause Protocol (RCP) from day 1, in large part because of its known role in the synthesis of the ceruloplasmin protein that expresses as the ferroxidase enzyme. Ferroxidase is the master anti-oxidant enzyme that no one on the Internet talks about, and is akin to “Voldermort” in your Doctor’s office! 

Nonetheless, we will continue to march forward and advance the knowledge and understanding of human physiology and start teaching ourselves about the profound regulatory roles of retinol-A.

As an opener, here’s a recent interview that I did this week with Ben Edwards, MD, founder of Veritas Medical Group. Get ready to be surprised, and even amazed, at what retinol-A is involved in.

https://veritasmedical.com/podcast/ (Using the drop-down menus, select 2018 and category “RCP – Morley Robbins”, then select May 02.18 “You’re the Cure, April 30, 2018)

Now, here’s the punch line.

Retinol-A is an absolute requirement for building blood and especially hemoglobin. Yeah, even I was a bit surprised to learn that! 

The first recorded study to make the causal link between retinol-A and curing anemia was in 1855! No, that is not a typo! Theophilus Thompson, MD, FRS, a noted physician in London at the time proved that cod liver oil cured folks of anemia, which is a term that technically means: “low red blood counts, low hemoglobin and low hematocrit” Interesting right?

Some 120+ years later, Robert E. Hodges, MD and his colleagues completed a blockbuster study in 1978 on the impact that real vitamin A (retinol-A) deficiency had on the process of making blood (hematopoiesis). Here’s the link to the abstract for Hodges, 1978:

Hodges, R.E., et al. (1978). “Hematopoietic studies in vitamin A deficiency” (It is a key study for those interested in purchasing it)

Attached above is a key graphic from that Hodges, 1978 study. You will be shocked to learn what they discovered that iron had no correlation to restoring hemoglobin levels! Furthermore, that retinol had a 78% correlation with restoring hemoglobin!

Iron, acting alone, will not correct anemia. That has been known since 1855!  When hemoglobin goes south, it is more an issue of hemoglobin metabolism not a shortage of the heavy metal, iron.

Let me clarify those two points. There is a belief in society, and clinical circles, that only iron alone can restore levels of hemoglobin. Now we all know that iron plays a key role in holding oxygen in that transport protein so that tissues can use that oxygen for respiration. This post is not challenging that obvious truth.

What this post is challenging is the mind numbing and incorrect misconception that iron is the best answer to blood tests that show iron is low, when for a fact that iron is dysfunctional! 

As the Figure above clearly shows, when iron gets added, the hemoglobin does rise for a brief period, and then falls until retinol is added. Any heavy metal, yes, iron is a heavy metal, will cause RBC production to rise, but it is not sustainable, just as this study proves.

I would caution folks to not take statements out of context in this kind of post. Context is king! It is essential that you do the following:

  • Read this entire post.
  • Listen to the entire 60-min conversation that I had with Ben Edwards, MD on 4/30/18.
  • Read the entire Study by Robert E. Hodges, MD and his colleagues, 1978.
  • Read at least the last 25 posts on Iron Toxicity before commenting.
  • And ideally, read the 100+ research articles that I’ve read in the past two years that focus squarely on the reticuloendothelial (R.E.cycling) system, which is where it matters most with iron<>copper interface and subsequent dysfunction.

98% of our daily iron requirements come from the iron R.E.cycling System and not our diet.  Contrary to the beliefs bantered about on the Internet. We are meant to recycle our iron, not keep eating it!

We have much to learn, and much to discuss in the coming weeks to better understand the true dynamics of copper<>retinol<>iron dynamics. Health and nutrition practitioners that do not understand mineral and vitamin complexes metabolism have misled us. Undaunted, we will spread this good news, far and wide on MAG FB Group, and communities within and outside of FB.

Know that you’ve got your retinol-A bases covered if you’re doing the RCP. But what we will all need to do is unlearn and relearn how blood is really made in the human body. You will find these truths ironic and in conflict with much of your conventional training found on most sites on the Internet,

Stay tuned to be prepared to be further enlightened by this copper<>retinol<>iron dynamics.

A votre sante!

Morley M. Robbins

For Facebook Discussion:
www.facebook.com/groups/MagnesiumAdvocacy/permalink/1698303906904338/

Iron Toxicity Post #68: It’s really the iron, especially in gluten!

Iron Toxicity Post #68: It’s really the iron, especially in gluten!

by | Feb 13, 2018 | Iron Toxicity Posts, Research

Okay, folks, it’s officially Valentine’s Day back in the States.  Who “loves” you? Well, I certainly do!

This post will be short and “sweet,” (calorie-free!), will take 33 min out of your day, but it will change your life forevermore, of that I’m confident. Here’s the link:
m.youtube.com/watch?v=NUjmwTwNCAI

In my humble opinion, Thomas E. Levy, MD, JD deserves the Nobel Prize for his compilation of research, his insights and his power-packed delivery on the toxicity of iron, especially as it is ubiquitously found in our grains, cereals, and baked goods! My favorite quotation from his presentation:

“Iron is the primary way in which you increase intracellular oxidative stress, have malignant transformation, and have chronic degenerative disease — everywhere!”

This is a blockbuster set of studies and is required reading of all. I am especially grateful to Valerie Engh for bringing this to our attention recently. I am excited to share these ironic pearls with the entire MAG FB Group.

I should warn you however, that despite his keen understanding of the toxicity of iron, he’s still chasing copper toxicity and iron anemia. Furthermore, he seems to lack a true solution, but we seem to have that covered:
therootcauseprotocol.com

So, this post is my V-day gift to you.  All I ask for, in return, is that this forward-thinking, proactive and iron-savvy group send it viral!

Have a blessed Valentine’s Day and do enjoy this treat!

A votre sante!

For Facebook Discussion:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/MagnesiumAdvocacy/permalink/1618187021582694/

Iron Toxicity Post #67: There is 5 TIMES MORE IRON in breast cancer cells than normal cells

Iron Toxicity Post #67: There is 5 TIMES MORE IRON in breast cancer cells than normal cells

by | Jan 20, 2018 | Iron Toxicity Posts

There is 5 times more iron in breast cancer cells than normal cells.

I’m confident that many will not like what this post has to say. Quite frankly, even I was stunned by the compelling cancer research that I stumbled upon (was guided to) earlier this week.

Before you settle into this hard-hitting post, I would like you to witness the combined impact of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), ascorbic acid and iron sulphate. This brief video was brought to my attention by Ben Edwards, MD, and my gifted clinician, “step-down-transformer,” which had received it from one of his gifted ND practitioner buddies.

Please be sure to be sitting down when you watch it, it makes quite the statement!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V27uNpGR6c

I’m confident that those who are regulars on MAG FB Group get it, and that you are totally on-board! The video, however, is a compelling example of the iron dynamics that we are seeking to better understand and bring under better control inside our bodies. Know that this is a reaction that can take place inside our cells.

What may surprise you is that even with all that I’ve shared and written about, that even I have a smidgeon of doubt – from time-to-time — that this iron thing is the sole metabolic issue, and that this RCP thing is the sole anti-dote to that iron-induced chaos. After internalizing the research this week, I have absolutely no doubt! My resolve is now locked in.

During my morning research ritual earlier this week, I happened upon a recently released textbook (2014) entitled:

Preedy, V.R. (2014). “Cancer: Oxidative stress and dietary antioxidants”
www.amazon.com/Cancer-Oxidative-Stress-Dietary-Antioxidants-ebook/dp/B00IYGRI5W

Victor Preedy is a distinguished professor of nutritional biochemistry at King’s College in London, England. I’ve read other articles and research by Dr Preedy, but none on cancer. (And as my typical ritual, I called to thank him for this amazing body of knowledge).

The material that I’m sharing in this post is from Chapter 13 entitled Iron, Oxidative stress and Cancer. Within that chapter, Iron Homeostasis & Cancer Development: Mechanistic Views” which is co-authored by two gifted Korean iron researchers: Mi-Kyung Sung, PhD, and Yun-Jung Bae, PhD. Here are the key findings that captured my attention:

“A proteomic analysis of TGF-B1 (Transforming Growth Factor-Beta1)-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in murine hepatocytes indicates that FHC (Ferritin-Heavy Chain) is one of the significantly altered proteins [34]. FHC possesses a Ferroxidase function to a controllable iron pool, suggesting that available free iron may be an important factor to induce EMT and cancer cell migration [emphasis added].”

It is key to understanding this dynamic to know that TGF-Beta1, which is activated by iron, down-regulates [i.e. turns off] ferritin heavy chain enzyme function. That is a major big deal! 

The obvious question: How might this present in the serum measurement of ferritin?

[34] Zhang, K.H., et al. (2009). “Ferritin Heavy Chain-Mediated Iron Homeostasis and Subsequent Increased Reactive Oxygen Species Production are Essential for Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition”

  • “Iron in breast cancer tissue was five times higher* compared to the level in adjacent normal tissue [42] suggesting a possible relationship between Iron and mammary tumor growth.” (See table 1 below)

[42] Ionescu, J.G., et al. (2006). “Increased levels of transition metals in breast cancer tissue.”
Abstract: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16804515

  • “A recent in vitro study suggested that iron-induced ROS generation was facilitated by the increased HO-1** (Heme Oxygenase-1) activity resulting in increased expression of MMP-1 (Matrix Metalloproteinase-1) in human breast cancer cells. [46] MMPs are a group of proteinases involving cancer cell migration and angiogenesis*** that indicates a possible involvement of iron overload with cancer metastasis.”

[46] Kim, D.H., et al. (2009). “15-Deoxy-Delta12,14-prostaglandin J2 upregulates the expression of Heme Oxygenase-1 and subsequently matrix metalloproteinase-1 in human breast cancer cells: Possible roles of Iron and ROS”

Abstract: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19136476

Now, please stop reading this post, and study the attached table 1 below that outlines the amount of iron vs. other metals found in breast tissue – tumor cells vs. normal cells.

Do you honestly think that this iron concentration within cancer cells only occurs in breast tissue? Given that breast cancer is a known form of estrogenic cancer, we can certainly conclude that this iron presence is a safe bet for all estrogenic cancers. It certainly seems to seal the deal for the iron <> estrogen connection that is found in those with low bioavailable copper.

What I will add, however, is that the research on the connection between iron-induced metabolic chaos and cancer is growing daily. Please take command of this ironic and obvious environmental and epigenetic metabolic factor that is at the core of cancer metabolism.

The century old awareness that Scientists & Clinicians have had about the Fenton Reaction (discovered in 1894) between ferrous (Fe2+) iron and H2O2, it is important to begin to understand the profound impact that this hydrogen peroxide oxidant has in our bodies and in our metabolism.

What I want to now point out is the central role that H2O2 plays in three key areas highlighted in the research above and noted with asterisks:

  • * H2O2 Stimulates TfR-1 (transferrin receptor-1) to increase the uptake of iron, over-riding the IRP/IRE Regulatory Pathway (as referenced in the article that I posted recently noting that H2O2 fuels aging, inflammation and cancer). Folks, this is how iron builds inside our cells!
  • ** H2O2 Increases the expression of HO-1 (heme oxygenase-1) enzyme, which means that hemolysis [RBC turnover] is accelerated in H2O2-rich conditions, i.e. in states of inflammation, as there is a constant release of H2O2 by inflammatory cells. (I would assert that this is likely greatest with iron-laden macrophages that become M1- or M2-Polarized in their immune function, and are now being identified as a major contributing factor to the 30+ autoimmune conditions). Folks, chronic states of H2O2 production are the devastating byproduct of inflammation.
  • *** H2O2 is a key agent to stimulate angiogenesis, and we can now add that it stimulates the migration, i.e. metastasis, of cancer cells via MMPs and their impact on EMT (Endothelial-Mesenchymal Transition). Folks, this iron-induced H2O2 become a key mechanism to enable angiogenesis and metastasis that are hallmarks of tumor growth and proliferation.

Please know, I am beginning to compile a BROAD and DEEP set of facts re. iron <> inflammation <> H2O2 interaction that has pervasive metabolic dysfunctions, which is enough to bogle the mind.

In addition to the above, it is worth noting that iron-induced H2O2 production was the very agent for lipid peroxidation in our arteries and aorta in the 1950’s and beyond. Which was never revealed while the nation and the world was taken hostage by low fat and cholesterol-free diets that were forced upon us by Ancel Keys, PhD, lo these 60+ years ago.

Cholesterol by itself was never the problem. It was the fact that in the presence of iron and thus H2O2, which increased cholesterol being produced in our iron-laden/copper-deficient livers, gets rusty. It is called coronary arterial plaque, but it is rust, nonetheless!

The one aspect of this cancer information that might be worth considering is that treating cancerous tumors with ascorbic acid, while increasingly favored and worthwhile as it overwhelms the cancer cells with oxidative stress, it hardly seems enough or complete given the obvious need to address the prevalence of iron.

It is clear and compelling that we also want to be engaging in a full-scale chelation of iron with Desferoxamine or related chelating agents when in the throes of seeking to resolve these cancerous conditions. It would seem that there is more than adequate justification for this two-pronged approach to assist practitioners in resolving cancer metabolism within their patients’ bodies.

So, there you have it.

The numbers are in, and the evidence is incontrovertible!  Table 1, above, is watershed evidence that there is way more to this cancer dynamic than we were ever told. I think it is high time that we ask better questions and seek better options than we’ve been given in the past. It is also high time that we come to accept the central and causative role that iron plays in metabolic dysfunction and mineral dysregulation.

I’ll leave it at that, and wish you the best as each of you pondered the implications of this research.

A votre santé!

Morley M. Robbins

For Facebook Discussion:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/MagnesiumAdvocacy/permalink/1594068023994594/