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New study links hysterectomies to increased iron levels

10/06/11

Although iron is proven to benefit proper cell function, too much iron is attributed to brain diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, and a new study by researchers at the University of California Los Angeles finds that hysterectomies are associated with high levels of iron in the brain.

Men generally have higher levels of iron in their bodies and brains than women, which is why they are more prone to various neurodegenerative diseases at an earlier age. But findings from UCLA researchers suggest that when women stop menstruating, the iron in their blood that would have normally been discharged, builds up in their system.

"Iron accumulates in our bodies as we age," said Dr. George Bartzokis, professor of psychiatry at the school, "and in the brain contributes to the development of abnormal deposits of proteins associated with several prevalent neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies."

Both men and women alike need to be more conscious about their health as they get older because it may help them live longer and find more affordable life insurance coverage. According to New York Life, women have historically lagged behind men in terms of life coverage, but that gap has shortened in recent years.
 

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