In human populations of northern European origin, the disorder called hemochromatosis causes excess iron uptake from food and af
fects one in 200 adults. Among individuals 15 to 50 years old, men are ten times as likely as women to suffer from iron overload. Part A Taking into account this range of ages, what explains this difference
Females of reproductive age lose iron through menstrual blood
Explanation:
Iron is an essential micronutrient involved in the formation of hemoglobin, myoglobin and many enzymatic groups. Moreover, hemochromatosis is a genetically inherited disorder caused by mutations in genes associated with the processes of absorption, transport and storage of iron. The excess of iron is stored in different organs (e.g., liver, heart, pancreas, etc), causing characteristic tissue damage. During each menstrual cycle, women and girls suffer a blood loss of approximately 40 ml, which is associated with an average loss of 1.6 mg of iron. In consequence, it is expected that women of reproductive age (ie, 15–49 years) lose iron during their menstrual periods, thereby avoiding iron overload caused by hemochromatosis.
