Dietary Iron May Increase Cardiovascular Disease Risk In Women Who Drink Alcohol

Category: Conditions of the Circulatory System , Women's Health

The Iowa Women's Health Study published results in the April issue of American Journal of Clinical nutrition examining the relationship between dietary iron, zinc, and alcohol intake. The study looked at the relationships between dietary intake of iron and zinc and cardiovascular disease risk in women who consume more than 10g of alcohol per day.

The relationship between iron and cardiovascular disease has always been a questionable one. Iron is a pro-oxidant nutrient that can contribute to the development of atherosclerosis. However, for iron to act as a pro-oxidant it must be unbound, and 99% of the iron is bound to proteins in the blood and tissue. That is where alcohol comes into play. Ingestion of alcohol disrupts the binding of iron to blood and tissue proteins, allowing it to be free and oxidize tissues. This study investigated the effect that alcohol consumption has on iron, as well as the potential increase in risk for cardiovascular disease development.

The study enrolled over 34,000 women between the ages of 55-69. Over a 15-year period women filled out 5 food frequency questionnaires to assess the intake of iron and zinc as well as alcohol consumption.

The results concluded that heme-iron (from animal sources) is correlated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in women who consume alcohol. Zinc, on the other hand is correlated with a decreased risk, because it is an anti-oxidant. Non-heme iron (from grains and vegetables) showed a positive and negative correlation depending on the intake.

The study supports previous information about iron consumption in women who consume alcohol. It has been proven that it increases the risk of breast and colon cancer and type 2 diabetes.

Posted by on December 7, 2008 10:00 AM