The role of vitamin E's positive role in heart disease may be that it serves as an anti-oxidant, preventing excess free radical formation and oxidative damage.
The long term marketing of iron and its relation to fatigue ("iron poor blood") may be one reason for excess accumulation of iron in some individuals. Almost all multiple vitamin/mineral preparation contain it, and many foods are fortified with iron. Certainly if you are deficient, taking an iron supplement is necessary. But without knowing whether this important but potentially harmful mineral is needed, iron supplementation should be avoided.
If a blood test which measures ferritin shows you have too much stored iron, the first thing to do is assess whether you are taking in too much through vitamin/mineral supplements, fortified foods and sometimes even through water supply. Often, excess iron stores are the result of an accumulation of iron over several years' time. And in some situations, the body's metabolism may not be functioning properly, resulting in excess ferritin. Donating blood may be one way to help reduce excess iron stores.
Some researchers now say that high ferritin levels are one of the most significant risk factors for heart disease. Evaluating cholesterol levels along with lifestyles factors such as smoking and exercise as a means of assessing cardiovascular risk is not complete without a simple blood test which measures ferritin.
