Iron, other Metals and Free Radicals

We have seen in some previous articles on ionic metals (or better ionic transition metals), that these electrically charged metals can get 'stuck' in tissues and cause an enormous amount of harm. The harm is mainly done by producing avalanches of free radical.

Today we want to look at one metal in particular: iron.

Iron is needed for many body functions, but mainly for the transport of oxygen. Human life would not be possible without it. But like everything in nature it needs to be in tune with the 'divine design'. In needs to be 'chelated'. If it is in ionic form (electrically charged) it can kill you faster than most other metals. In such a case medicine is talking about 'hemochromatosis' or iron overload disease.

Hemochromatosis is classed as the 'most widespread and deadly genetic disorder known to man'.

The only answer general medicine has to the problem is 'phlebotomy' or blood letting. Once people are diagnosed with hemochromatosis (often just by chance) they have to undergo a series of blood lettings over a number of weeks to bring the 'iron store levels' down. Once the 'ionic iron' has been 'drawn' out of tissue stores, the patient is placed on a monthly 'maintenance blood letting' mainly to keep the iron store levels down. Hence this approach is not a 'curative' approach, but simply keeps the patient alive. The patient is now dependent upon a doctor or hospital for the rest of his/her life. Depression is common amongst sufferers as well as aches and pains in joints and tissues.

Professor Robert Batey, one of Australia 's leading experts on hemochromatosis, believes that one in twenty people ( 1:20 ) may suffer from an undiagnosed, low level of iron 'overload'.

Isn't that amazing...and there are people still wondering why all the billions spent on medical research and services don't get us anywhere.

I hope that these articles (and you can find many more on the internet) will help you to understand the importance of the work we are doing when testing people for 'chelation ability'.

We have tested and observed hundreds of people over many years and consistently found that 'truly healthy' people will always show a green test result.

When testing people 'of the street' living in big cities especially, we found that close to 100% of people had a 'coloured' test.

In some cities the test colours of most urine samples look very similar, which indicates that similar metals may be involved.

In some areas we found more green tests then usual which may indicate less pollution and better food, life style etc.

Amongst health practitioners we found that the '100% rate' of 'bad chelators' dropped down to about 70%. This indicates that 'healthy living' produces 'good chelators'..but who would have doubted that?

Chelation ability has a lot to do with the ability to digest proteins and general life style. If we eat our meals in peace and quiet we will digest our food better. If we digest our proteins well, we do not create over acidity. Acidity keeps metals in suspension (chelation does not work well in an acid environment) and promotes the over production of free radicals. Good protein digestion gives us plenty of amino acids..and amino acids chelate ionic metals.

Have a look at the 'longest living people in Europe '.the French and Italians. I am certain you will never see them running down the Champs Elise or Via Veneto munching on a Hamburger as they run! No, they sit down, relax, have a good time..and eat and drink all the 'stuff' we are being told by 'diet experts' not to eat and drink!

Please think about that a bit. Think about the fact that despite spending 1.7 trillion dollars on medical research and services in 2003, Americans are the sickest people in the world!!! (And getting sicker by the day).

CH77 has helped a number of people suffering from hemochromatosis ... but that should not come as a surprise. After all it helps to chelate ionic metals. And the IHMT clearly proves that.

Always keep in mind that chealtion should go hand in hand with alkalization.

Here now are a couple of articles which deal with the problem of ionic iron.

Title : The role of iron in oxygen-mediated toxicities.

Author : Ryan TP; Aust SD

Address : Biotechnology Center , Utah State University, Logan 84322-4705.

Source : Crit Rev Toxicol, 1992, 22:2, 119-41

Abstract : The transition metal iron is capable of catalyzing redox reactions between biomolecules and oxygen that would not occur if catalytically active iron were not present. Although these biological oxidations (which are known collectively as "oxidative stress") have been implicated in numerous toxicities, the exact role of the iron catalyst remains to be elucidated. This review focuses on our current understanding of the role of iron in oxidative stress, discussing biologically relevant sources, biochemical forms, and reaction mechanisms of iron as a catalyst of biomolecular oxidations. Specific toxicities in which alterations in normal iron metabolism is thought to overwhelm the body's antioxidant defense system are presented, and future treatment regimens involving novel antioxidant drugs are discussed.

Title : Iron-induced tissue damage and cancer: the role of reactive oxygen species-free radicals.

Author : Okada S First Department of Pathology, Okayama University Medical School , Japan .

Source : Pathol Int, 1996 May, 46:5, 311-32

Abstract : Oxygen is poisonous, but we cannot live without it. The high oxidizing potential of oxygen molecules (dioxygen) is a valuable source of energy for the organism and its reactivity is low; that is, spin forbidden. However, the dioxygen itself is a 'free radical' and, especially in the presence of transition metals, it is a major promoter of radical reactions in the cell.

Humans survive only by virtue of their elaborate defense mechanisms against oxygen toxicity. Iron is the most abundant transition metal in the human body. Because iron shows wide variation in redox potential with different co-ordination ligands, it may be used as a redox intermediate in many biological mechanism. However, it is precisely this redox activeness that makes iron a key participant in free radical production. The current research on the relationship between iron and cancer is briefly reviewed. Research results are reported here which indicate that iron, when bound to certain ligands, can cause free-radical mediated tissue damage and become carcinogenic. The present study also suggests that iron may also have a significant role in spontaneous human cancer.

Title : Amyloid precursor protein, copper and Alzheimer's disease.

Author : Multhaup G ZMBH Center for Molecular Biology, University of Heidelberg , Germany .

Source : Biomed Pharmacother, 1997, 51:3, 105-11

Abstract : Although a consensus that Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a single disease has not yet been reached, the involvement of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) and beta A4 (A beta) in the pathologic changes advances our understanding of the underlying molecular alterations. Increasing evidence implicates oxidative stress in the neurodegenerative process of AD.

This hypothesis is based on the toxicity of beta A4 in cell cultures, and the findings that aggregation of beta A4 can be induced by metal-catalyzed oxidation and that free oxygen radicals might be involved in APP metabolism. Another neurological disorder, familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FALS), supports our view that AD and FALS might be linked through a common mechanism. In FALS, SOD-Cu(I) complexes are affected by hydrogen peroxide and free radicals are produced. In AD, the reduction of Cu(II) to Cu(I) by APP involves an electron-transfer reaction and could also lead to a production of hydroxyl radicals. Thus, copper-mediated toxicity of APP-Cu(II)/(I) complexes may contribute to neurodegeneration in AD.

Title : Use of iron chelators in preventing hydroxyl radical damage: adult respiratory distress syndrome as an experimental model for the pathophysiology and treatment of oxygen-radical-mediated tissue damage.

Author : Marx JJ; van Asbeck BS Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Source : Acta Haematol, 1996, 95:1, 49-62

Abstract : Tissue damage in many diseases is caused by hydroxyl radicals, generated during single electron reduction of oxygen. The first step is usually the formation of the superoxide radical. This radical is constantly formed in all living cells, and in particular during activation of phagocytes or during reoxygenation following ischaemia. Damage, however, only occurs in the presence of catalytic transition metals of which iron is the most important in human pathology.

Oxygen-radical-mediated damage can be prevented by iron chelators, as has been demonstrated in numerous in vitro and in vivo experiments. A description is given as to how toxic oxygen products are formed in biological systems, and how organisms succeed in preventing autodestruction by scavenger molecules. The use of iron chelators to prevent oxygen radical damage is reviewed with emphasis on possible clinical applications. The adult respiratory distress syndrome is described in more detail as a model for oxygen-radical-mediated damage that can be successfully prevented with iron chelators.