248 | id == 248
248 | category_id == 14
248 | category_order == 12
248 | category_name == Nutrition
248 | category_color == #C47AC0
248 | slug == TF-Gene-and-Iron-Transport
248 | title == Can This Iron Transport Gene Contribute To Iron Deficiency? (TF)
248 | meta_description == The TF gene creates the iron-transporting protein transferrin. Read on to learn how your genes may affect your iron levels!
248 | summary == <p style="text-align:justify"><strong>Variants of the TF gene are known to influence blood transferrin and iron-bound transferrin levels &mdash; both of which are markers associated with iron deficiency. Read on to find out how these variants may be influencing your health, and some steps you can take to potentially reduce their impact!</strong></p>
248 | overall_score_text == Potential for iron deficiency (based on TF)
248 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/TF_post_image.jfif
248 | author_id == 13
248 | author_name == Lewis Cuthbertson
248 | author_title == PhD
248 | author_order == 12
248 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/Lewis_SelfDecode.jpg
248 | author_intro == <p><strong>Lewis completed his PhD in Molecular Microbiology at Northumbria University (UK).</strong></p>    <p>Lewis spent several years researching the biodiversity of bacterial communities in the Arctic and Antarctic, whilst also performing research for a DNA sequencing service, where he was involved in several health based microbiome studies. This gave him an insight into how the highly diverse and invisible to the naked eye portion of human health, can potentially impact an individual&rsquo;s quality of life, driving his desire to help others understand their own complex health needs through the most current scientific research.<br />  &nbsp;</p>
248 | reviewer_id == 4
248 | reviewer_name == Matt Carland
248 | reviewer_title == PhD
248 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
248 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
248 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
248 | publish_date == 2020
248 | publish_date == 7
248 | publish_date == 27
248 | avg_rating == 5.0
248 | tags_id == 555
248 | tags_name == Anemia
248 | tags_id == 552
248 | tags_name == Iron
248 | tags_id == 554
248 | tags_name == Iron Deficiency
248 | tags_id == 553
248 | tags_name == Iron Transport
248 | tags_id == 551
248 | tags_name == TF Gene
248 | permissions_favorite == False
248 | permissions_rate == False
248 | content_article == <h1 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>What Is The </strong><strong><em>TF</em></strong><strong> Gene?</strong></h1> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The </span><a href="../../../gene/tf/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TF</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> codes for proteins called </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/transferrin/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">transferrins</span></em></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Transferrin proteins are produced mainly in the liver, and are used to transport </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/iron-part-3-iron-intake-supplementation-ways-increase-decrease/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">iron</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> around the body.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">After a person consumes iron-rich foods, digested iron is transferred from the intestine into blood, where it binds with transferrin. Transferrin-bound iron is then transported around the body in the blood, thereby becoming available for many other important processes such as cell division and </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/increase-decrease-red-blood-cells/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">red blood cell</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> production.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Iron is an essential element within the human body, playing a role in oxygen transport through the production of </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/symptoms-low-high-hemoglobin-diseases-increase-decrease/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">hemoglobin</span></em></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, the synthesis of DNA, and electron transport &mdash; so it&rsquo;s important that optimal iron levels are maintained [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3999603/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]!</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">The <em>TF</em> gene is responsible for producing <em>transferrin</em> proteins, which play a critical role in the transfer of iron around the body. Iron is involved in many essential bodily functions, such as oxygen transport.</span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>What Is Iron Deficiency?</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/iron-deficiency-excess-diseases/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Iron deficiency</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is one of the most common micronutrient deficiencies worldwide [</span><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1521693416300840?via%3Dihub"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Several factors may cause iron deficiency, such as poor diet or blood loss.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Iron deficiencies can have many significant negative impacts on health. Deficiencies have been linked to compromised immune system function, impaired cognitive development, and are the most common causes of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">iron-deficient anemia</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1521693416300840?via%3Dihub"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00005-010-0095-9"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/85/4/931/4648786"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Iron-deficient anemia</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> &mdash; the third stage of iron deficiency &mdash; is a disease characterised by a severe lack of iron, which results in a major reduction in the body&rsquo;s production of </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/symptoms-low-high-hemoglobin-diseases-increase-decrease/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">hemoglobin</span></em></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Hemoglobin is the main protein that red blood cells use to transport oxygen into (and take carbon dioxide away from) the rest of the body&rsquo;s cells, and therefore plays a very critical role in respiration and energy production [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK143610/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24297872/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Symptoms of Iron Deficiency</strong></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Iron deficiency &mdash; and even its more severe forms, such as iron-deficient anemia &mdash; can often be asymptomatic and hard to detect. Nonetheless, some of the common symptoms of iron deficiency can include [</span><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1521693416300840?via%3Dihub"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15185590/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]:</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">weakness</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/chronic-fatigue-blood-tests/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">fatigue</span></a></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">irritability</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">hair loss</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">paleness</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">poor </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/focus-attention-improve/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">concentration</span></a></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">reduced work performance</span></li> </ul> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Contributing Factors of Iron Deficiency</strong></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Several lifestyle and dietary factors are known to influence a person&rsquo;s risk of iron deficiency.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">For example, cooking with iron cookware has also been reported to increase the levels of iron present in food. Additionally, </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/need-know-vitamin-c-32-science-based-health-benefits/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">vitamin C</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ascorbic acid</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">) &mdash; which is found in fruit and vegetables as well as some meats and alcohols &mdash; is known to enhance iron absorption [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3722654/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-2621.2002.tb09582.x"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3257743/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21462105/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/f54b/b95d63afa6834d6793cc85dc18d91008bd01.pdf"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0025712516373552?via%3Dihub"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Conversely, consuming </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/teas-stimulants/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">tea</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/caffeine-benefits/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">coffee</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is known to reduce iron absorption in the </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/gut-microbiome-factors/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">gut</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Likewise, Excessive </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/top-14-proven-health-benefits-exercise-references-mechanisms/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">exercise</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> can be associated with iron deficiency, as it increases the rate at which iron is used for oxygen transport [</span><a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/inhibition-of-nonhaem-iron-absorption-in-man-by-polyphenoliccontaining-beverages/5CFF5FF58F6CBA86D3646981A7DF0418"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/f54b/b95d63afa6834d6793cc85dc18d91008bd01.pdf"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4408516/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Diagnosing Iron Deficiencies</strong></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Levels of iron in the body can be used to </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/iron-balance-blood-test-iron-deficiency-anemia-overload/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">diagnose iron deficiency</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Iron levels can be estimated by measuring both the levels of transferrin in blood, as well as how much of this transferrin is bound to iron. Researchers estimate that approximately 25-50% of individual variation in these levels may be due to genetic factors [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16877869/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10739755/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Iron deficiency is associated with several negative health conditions such as <em>anemia</em>. Iron deficiencies can be diagnosed by measuring levels of transferrin in a person&rsquo;s blood, and how much of this transferrin is bound to iron. Genetic factors can play a major role in risk of iron deficiency.</span></p> <h1 style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>TF</em></strong><strong> Risk Variants and Iron Deficiency</strong></h1> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>How Does The </strong><strong><em>TF</em></strong><strong> Gene Impact Iron Metabolism?</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Different variants of the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TF</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene generally affect iron levels by influencing the ability of transferrin proteins to successfully bind with iron. If transferrin&rsquo;s iron-binding ability is reduced, the body will have a harder time getting iron to where it is needed, potentially resulting in iron deficiency [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11703331/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Transferrin activity and iron levels are typically measured in two main ways [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532928/#:~:text=The%20amount%20of%20transferrin%20in,a%20possible%20iron%20deficiency%20anemia."><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2754511/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]:</span></p> <ol style="text-align: justify;"> <li><strong><em>Blood transferrin</em></strong><strong> levels:</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> This measures the amount of transferrin in the blood which is </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">not</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> bound to iron. High </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">blood transferrin</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> levels are bad, as this can be a sign that the body doesn&rsquo;t have enough iron around to transport, or that it is not binding with transferrin effectively.</span></li> <li><strong><em>Iron-bound transferrin</em></strong><strong> levels:</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> This measures the amount of blood transferrin that </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">is</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> bound to iron. In this case, low </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">iron-bound transferrin</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> levels are bad, as this may indicate insufficient iron levels, or a reduced ability for transferrin to transport it to where the body needs it.</span></li> </ol> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>TF</em></strong><strong> Variants Associated With Iron Deficiency</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Two large-scale </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">genome-wide association studies</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (GWAS) of European-descended Australians have identified multiple </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TF</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene variants which appear to be associated with increased risk of iron deficiencies.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The first study reported that each &lsquo;A&rsquo; risk allele for the SNP </span><a href="../../../snp/rs1830084/"><strong>rs1830084</strong></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> was associated with significantly increased levels of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">blood transferrin</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, compared to people without this allele [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2668053/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Additionally, the second study reported that each additional &lsquo;A&rsquo; risk allele of </span><a href="../../../snp/rs3811647/"><strong>rs3811647</strong></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> was associated with increased levels of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">blood transferrin</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> as well as decreased levels of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">iron-bound transferrin</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, compared to people without this allele [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2668053/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The above findings have been replicated and confirmed by several follow-up studies, providing strong evidence that carrying risk alleles for these two SNPs may increase a person&rsquo;s likelihood of experiencing iron deficiencies [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3043660/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3195693/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Finally, one of the follow-up studies also reported that the &lsquo;T&rsquo; allele for </span><a href="../../../snp/rs1799852/"><strong>rs1799852</strong></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> was associated with lower </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">blood transferrin</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> levels. The authors of this study speculate that this beneficial variant could potentially counteract some of the negative effects associated with carrying other </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TF</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene risk alleles [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3195693/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Several <em>TF</em> gene variants have been associated with increases in <em>blood transferrin</em> and decreases in <em>iron-bound transferrin</em> levels, both of which are potential indicators of iron deficiency. However, additional evidence also suggests that carrying certain beneficial alleles in other <em>TF</em> SNPs may provide some protection against iron deficiency.</span></p> <h1 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Your SNP Results For The </strong><strong><em>TF</em></strong><strong> Gene</strong></h1> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>*3024400877475952*</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>SNPs:</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>rs1830084:</strong></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;A&rsquo; = Associated with increased </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">blood transferrin</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> levels; may be associated with iron deficiency [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2668053"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; = Associated with roughly normal </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">blood transferrin</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> levels [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2668053/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Roughly 48% of the population carries two &lsquo;A&rsquo; alleles, while 43% carry just one. Only 10% of people don&rsquo;t carry any copies of the &lsquo;A&rsquo; allele [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/snp/rs1830084#frequency_tab"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>rs3811647:</strong></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;A&rsquo; = Associated with increased </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">blood transferrin</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> levels and reduced </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">iron-bound transferrin</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> levels; may be associated with iron deficiency [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2668053/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = Associated with roughly normal </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">iron-bound transferrin</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> levels [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2668053/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Approximately 11% of the population carries two copies of the risk 'A' allele, while 45% carry just one copy. 44% of people carry two copies of the 'G' allele [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/snp/rs3811647"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>rs1799852:</strong></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">'T' = Associated with reduced </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">blood transferrin</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> levels; may provide protection against iron deficiency [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3195693/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">'C' = Associated with roughly normal </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">blood transferrin</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> levels [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3195693/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Roughly 20% of people carry at least one copy of the beneficial 'T' allele, while 80% carry two copies of the major 'C' allele. Only 1% of individuals carry two copies of the 'T' allele [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/snp/rs1799852#frequency_tab"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>*5589239651893172*</strong></p> <h1 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Recommendations To Reduce The Impact Of Risk-Associated </strong><strong><em>TF</em></strong><strong> Variants</strong></h1> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the following section, we&rsquo;ll describe some complementary approaches that may potentially help counteract some of the negative health implications associated with </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TF</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> variants. Nonetheless, keep in mind that the strategies below should not be used to replace standard medical treatment.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Always make sure to consult with your doctor before making any lifestyle, dietary, or other significant changes to your day-to-day routine, in order to minimize the risk of adverse interactions, side-effects, or other potentially negative outcomes.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>*2864645695232726*</strong></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Diet</strong></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">There are two main ways to counteract the potential negative effects of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TF</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene variants: one is to increase your dietary intake of iron, and the other is to avoid foods that may inhibit your body&rsquo;s ability to actually absorb and use that iron.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Reducing the amount of </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/teas-stimulants/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">tea</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/caffeine-benefits/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">coffee</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in your diet may help improve dietary iron absorption. Tea is known to reduce iron absorption by 90%, and coffee by around 60% </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">[</span><a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/inhibition-of-nonhaem-iron-absorption-in-man-by-polyphenoliccontaining-beverages/5CFF5FF58F6CBA86D3646981A7DF0418"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/f54b/b95d63afa6834d6793cc85dc18d91008bd01.pdf"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Several different nutrients found in meat, as well as </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/vitamin-c-foods-deficiency/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">vitamin C</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> found in fruit and vegetables, can help enhance iron absorption. For non-meat eaters, the following foods are particularly good sources of iron [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3257743/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0025712516373552?via%3Dihub"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21462105/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]:</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lentils</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Spinach</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Swiss chard</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kale</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tofu</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bok Choy</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Enriched grain products (such as whole-wheat bread)</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Chickpeas</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tempeh</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cashews</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Many types of beans and legumes</span></li> </ul> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Lifestyle</strong></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Certain lifestyle adjustments may also work in combination with dietary changes to help reduce the potential negative effects of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TF</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> variants.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">For example, cooking foods such as porridge, rice, and eggs using cast-iron cookware can increase the amount of iron they contain &mdash; sometimes by as much as 20mg per serving [</span><a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-2621.2002.tb09582.x"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3722654/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs12098-013-1066-z"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]!</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Excessive exercising &mdash; particularly in young women &mdash; can also potentially increase the risk of iron deficiency. Therefore, </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/top-14-proven-health-benefits-exercise-references-mechanisms/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">exercise</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> should only be done in moderation [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4408516/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Supplements</strong></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The following supplements may lessen the impact of risk-associated </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TF</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> variations:</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/iron-part-3-iron-intake-supplementation-ways-increase-decrease/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Iron</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> supplements (directly increases iron levels) [</span><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0025712516373552?via%3Dihub"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/need-know-vitamin-c-32-science-based-health-benefits/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Vitamin C</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> supplements (can help enhance iron absorption and metabolism) [</span><a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article-abstract/37/3/416/4690726"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">While iron supplementation may reduce the risk of iron deficiency associated with </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TF</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> variants, the body has no physiological mechanism to excrete excess iron if it gets too much of it. This is important because </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/iron-part-4-negative-health-effects-high-iron/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">excessive iron accumulation can be toxic</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and may potentially lead to significant health complications such as liver damage. Therefore, increasing iron intake via direct supplementation should only be done in accordance with advice from a medical professional &mdash; otherwise, if you haven&rsquo;t been officially diagnosed with an iron deficiency or with anemia, simply increasing your dietary intake of iron is the safest and best option [</span><a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/85/4/931/4648786"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">,</span><a href="https://academic.oup.com/clinchem/article/52/6/950/5627076"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p>
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248 | content_learn_more_5589239651893172_text == Your TF variants may be associated with a roughly average risk of iron deficiency. You may respond well to increasing dietary iron intake, increasing intake of foods rich in vitamin C (which enhances iron absorption), and reducing your intake of known iron-absorption inhibitors, such as tea or coffee.
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rsStatus = rs3811647,TF,chr3,133765185,G,A,C,,17,11,HET
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