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Article: Looking out for the invaders The immune system is designed to fight infection, but it can be confused by drugs and supplements. By Roger Dobson
- Article from:
- The Independent (London, England)
- Article date:
- January 19, 1999
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 1999 The Independent - London. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Doctors were baffled by the woman's condition. Her eyesight was
failing, several vital organs were on the point of giving up, and she
was lethargic and depressed. But there was no obvious reason for her
plight.
It was only when an ophthalmologist examined her eyes in detail
that the answer was found. The tiny grains of iron discovered in the
cornea were a vital clue to her problem - too much iron. She had
been taking large supplements of iron because she was unwell and
because her iron count had been down, but neither she nor her doctor
had realised what effect the extra intake was having.
By taking it she had been unknowingly overriding her own immune
system, which had been trying to reduce ...