Discuss why iron is so important to the body and some of the ways the body tries to prevent losing iron

Answer 1

Every living cell—both plant and animal—contains iron. Most of the iron in the body is a component of the proteins hemoglobin in red blood cells and myoglobin in muscle cells. The iron in both hemoglobin and myoglobin helps them carry and hold oxygen and then release it. Hemoglobin in the blood carries oxygen from the lungs to tissues throughout the body. Myoglobin holds oxygen for the muscles to use when they contract. As part of many enzymes, iron is vital to the processes by which cells generate energy. Iron is also needed to make new cells, amino acids, hormones, and neurotransmitters.
The special provisions the body makes for iron's handling show that it is a precious mineral to be tightly hoarded. For example, when a red blood cell dies, the liver saves the iron and returns it to the bone marrow, which uses it to build new red blood cells. The body does lose iron from the digestive tract, in nail and hair trimmings, and in shed skin cells, but only in tiny amounts. Bleeding, however, can cause significant iron loss from the body.
Special measures are needed to maintain an appropriate iron balance in the body. Iron is a powerful oxidant that generates free-radical reactions. Free radicals increase oxidative stress and inflammation associated with diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. To ensure that enough iron is available to meet the body's needs and yet guard against excessive and damaging levels, special proteins transport and store the body's iron supply, and its absorption is tightly regulated. Because the body has no active means of excreting excess iron, regulation of absorption plays a critical role in iron homeostasis.