Hello,

""Iron Loading and Disease Surveillance

Iron is an oxidant as well as a nutrient for invading microbial and
neoplastic cells. Excessive iron in specific tissues and cells (iron
loading) promotes development of infection, neoplasia, cardiomyopathy,
arthropathy, and various endocrine and possibly neurodegenerative
disorders. To contain and detoxify the metal, hosts have evolved an
iron withholding defense system, but the system can be compromised by
numerous factors. An array of behavioral, medical, and immunologic
methods are in place or in development to strengthen iron withholding.
Routine screening for iron loading could provide valuable information
in epidemiologic, diagnostic, prophylactic, and therapeutic studies of
emerging infectious diseases....
Iron can also increase disease risk by functioning as a readily
available essential nutrient for invading microbial and neoplastic
cells. To survive and replicate in hosts, microbial pathogens must
acquire host iron. Highly virulent strains possess exceptionally
powerful mechanisms for obtaining host iron from healthy hosts (7). In
persons whose tissues and cells contain excessive iron, pathogens can
much more readily procure iron from molecules of transferrin that are
elevated in iron saturation. In such cases, even microbial strains that
are not ordinarily dangerous can cause illness. Markedly invasive
neoplastic cell strains can glean host iron more easily than less
malignant strains or normal host cells (3). Moreover, iron-loaded
tissues are especially susceptible to growth of malignant cells (Table
1).
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol5no3/weinberg.htm  ""

This is interesting and dynamic understanding. I have few questions:-

1. Whether it is right that :iron is a nutrient for invading microbial
and neoplastic cells as indicated in above article?

2. Whether host of invading microbial and neoplastic cells can get such
natural defence responses of withholding iron intake by anorexia,
aversion to some foods, low gastric acidity, changes in intestinal mucs
linings or otherwise?

3. Whether host of invading microbial and neoplastic cells can get for
such natural defence responses as anemias,  improper or imbalanced iron
movements( by effecting Cap.Preambilities, Changes in RBCs sizes and
their destructions etc.), B12 or folic acid imbalances etc.?

4. Whether host of invading microbial and neoplastic cells can get for
such natural defence responses of more excretion or loss of iron from
body as excess prespiration, night sweats, from excess skin, nails,
hair growth etc. ?

5. Whether iron is an only nutient required for their survival and
growth or there are some others?

6. How gastric acids or digestive pH imbalances can be related to such
stimulations of withholding iron intake(somewhere antacids are
contraindicaed for iron, B12,, folic acis, Ca, Mg, protiens etc.
digestion so absorptions)?

7. Which homonal imbalances are related to iron imbalances? Just look:-

"Drugs that can increase iron measurements include chloramphenicol,
estrogens, oral contraceptives, and methyldopa.

Drugs that can decrease iron measurements include cholestyramine,
chloramphenicol, colchicine, deferoxamine, methicillin, allopurinol,
and testosterone.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003488.htm ""

Antibiotics, estrogens, oral contraceptives and testosterone are esp.
indicated for iron imbalances. ??

Since iron in animals and Mg in plants can be core mineral, their deep
and dynamic understanding may add.

Best wishes.