Iron deficiency may be early warning sign of colorectal cancer

A key deficiency may be an early warning sign of colorectal cancer in young people.

Colorectal cancer has long been associated with older adults, especially people over 65. However, rates have been steadily rising among adults under 50 since the ’90s.

Joel Mason, a gastroenterologist at Tufts University, recently shared that rectal bleeding, a noticeable change in bowel habits and iron-deficiency anemia are common symptoms are colorectal cancer.

“I hate to raise the anxiety level of younger people,” Mason said in June, “but the trends are very disturbing and in balance maybe it is worth making our younger population a little more vigilant about symptoms that need to be paid attention to.”

Iron deficiency has been called one of the world’s most widespread nutritional problems. 

A recent study in JAMA Network Open reported that 29% of US adults suffer from absolute or functional iron deficiencies, meaning nearly one in three Americans may have an undiagnosed iron deficiency.

An absolute iron deficiency, which is particularly prevalent among women, children, vegetarians and vegans, is characterized by a severe reduction or absence of iron “stores,” according to the American Society of Hematology.

In functional iron deficiency, there are sufficient iron stores but the body cannot effectively use them.

Iron deficiencies compromise the immune system, making it harder for the body to fight illness. 

Symptoms of iron deficiency include fatigue, weakness, cold extremities, chest pain, pale skin, loss of appetite, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, headaches and cravings for non-nutritional objects like ice, soil, paper and even clay.

Foods rich in iron include red meat, poultry, fish, spinach, beans, whole grains and eggs.

Iron deficiency can lead to anemia, when red blood cell counts are low, as your body struggles to absorb iron, you don’t eat enough iron-rich food or you lose more blood than your body can replace.

Anemia is present in 30% to 75% of colorectal cancer patients, according to 2023 research.

Dr. Waqqas Tai, a Brooklyn-based cancer specialist, recently explained, “There is no healthy reason a man should be anemic. That is the No.1 diagnosis that we look for. And for women, if you don’t have heavy periods, you also should not have a low hemoglobin, and so you also need a colonoscopy.”

But when it comes to iron, too much can be just as dangerous as too little.

Research has found that consuming too much iron over a lifetime can potentially increase the risk of lung and colorectal cancers. Researchers posit that tumors use excess iron to fuel their growth.

Excess iron can also accumulate in the liver, leading to toxicity.

That’s why a careful balance between iron deficiency and iron excess must be found.

“Emerging evidence indicates that reduced iron intake and low systemic iron levels are associated with the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer, suggesting that optimal iron intake must be carefully balanced to avoid both iron deficiency and iron excess,” German scientists wrote in 2021 research published in Frontiers in Immunology.

Iron supplementation may help achieve that balance.

One study found that 14% to 18% of Americans take a supplement containing iron.

“The iron in your body is called ‘elemental iron,’” Alannah McKay, a sports nutrition postdoctoral research fellow at Australian Catholic University, said in August. “Choosing the right oral supplement and dose will depend on how much elemental iron it has — your doctor will advise exactly how much you need.”