The importance of iron in the human body Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The importance of branding iron in the human form - Essay sheathDeficiency of iron is found to affect the normal functioning of the human body in several ways indicating the importance of iron to the human body. This want varies based on age and gender. (1). Iron is an important element for the normal functioning of the human body The Importance of Iron to the Human Body Among the many a(prenominal) metals found in the earths crust iron is the second most abundant metal. During the course of evolution of living organisms iron became a recognise metal for the existence of living organisms and this is reflected in the importance of iron to the human body. Many of the functions in the human body at the cell level lift iron playing a significant. In the human body normally about 50mg per kilogram of body weight is the quantum of iron present. On an average this whole caboodle out to between 3-4gms in a human adult. Of this amount of iron in the human body approximately 60% is pres ent in the casting of hemo haematohiston in the erythrocytes. Nearly ten percent of iron present in the human body is found in myoglobin in the muscle. Iron containing proteins comparable cytochromes, iron-sulphide enzymes and iron storage and transporting proteins is where the remaining 30% of the iron on the human body can be found. This shows that iron is not present in the body as free ions in the body fluids or tissues. (2). Taken at glance the main functions of iron in the human body consists of DNA tax write-off and cell formation sensing of atomic number 8 and cellular uptake of oxygen, transportation and storage of oxygen within the snag and muscles electron transfer and conversion of oxygen to adenosine triphosphate (ATP) antioxidant as well as pro-oxidant functions and regulation of inter-cellular iron. The many functions of iron in the human is the reason that iron is present in the human body in its functional forms rather than as free ions in the body fluids and t issues. (3). Hemoglobin Iron is essential as a cofactor in the formation of red blood cells and haemoglobin and it is a part of the structure of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin makes up most of the cytoplasm of erythrocytes. Each molecule is made up of four protein or globin chains, which is attached to prosthetic heme group. The heme group has an iron molecule that is complexed at the centre of a porphyrin ring. Hemoglobin is very efficient at ski binding and carrying oxygen. This efficiency is reflected in its office to causer blood to carry almost hundred times the oxygen in comparison to plasma alone. An added factor in this ability of hemoglobin to act as the transporter of oxygen in the human body is the capability of hemoglobin to modulate oxygen binding under polar conditions. This feature of hemoglobin permits adaptation to a wide variety of environments and demands within the human body. When there is a deficiency of iron normal erythrocyte and hemoglobin production in the huma n body is affected. The lack of iron causes a reduction in the synthesis of the heme group, which gets translated into effects on the globin production. The trim back presence of the heme group in the red blood cells make the cells smaller and gives them a paler appearance than red blood cells produced that are produced when adequate levels of iron are present. In the presence of adequate levels of iron the maturing red blood cells continue dividing as per their development program till such time as the hemoglobin gas attained appropriate levels. When iron is not present in adequate levels the