Iron: The Overlooked Accelerator of Skin Aging
Iron as an upstream driver of oxidative stress.
A few weeks ago, I wrote a post about antioxidants – specifically about oxidative stress, Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), free radicals, and antioxidant math (1+1 = 5). Hopefully you geeked out on the science. This post goes down the rabbit hole further, focusing on iron, an often-overlooked driver of skin aging.
Have you ever wondered why in general women live longer than men? One hypothesis is that women’s generally lower iron levels may play a role. Why do women generally have lower iron levels? Because we (women) lose blood monthly and when giving birth. (In case you are rusty on your biology, iron is found within hemoglobin inside red blood cells – so losing blood = losing iron.)
What does this suggest? While iron is essential to healthy living, excess iron can be harmful. Read on to dive deeper into the science and benefits of iron chelation.
As I did when I wrote the post on antioxidants, a couple of disclaimers before I dive in. First, I am neither a dermatologist nor a scientist. Second, this post was reviewed and approved by both a dermatologist (my father, Dr. Luigi L. Polla), and a scientist (my mother, Dr. Barbara S. Polla, a leading expert in iron chelation). Third, references to scientific published papers are available upon request in comments (including a paper that I co-authored with the two Drs. Polla, which you can find here).
What do we generally (think we) know about iron?
Iron is necessary to life, as it plays a key role in helping to transport oxygen. We can’t live without it. In the consumer press, iron is mostly discussed in the context of anemia (i.e. iron deprivation). We mostly focus on making sure we have enough iron - whether through diet (red meat and various fruits and vegetables), or through the daily use of supplements.
The thing we don’t talk about enough is excess iron. Excess iron is involved in several diseases (whether cardiovascular, brain or muscle diseases), as well as in premature skin aging.
Iron versus “free iron”
Like oxygen, iron is both indispensable for aerobic life, and toxic. Hemoglobin-bound iron is required for oxygen transport, yet free iron is involved in the creation of free radicals. Iron is safely managed when bound to proteins like ferritin or transferrin - think of it as iron in a sealed envelope. When iron levels increase, these “envelopes” become overwhelmed, increasing the pool of loosely bound or ‘free’ iron.
And now, for a bit of chemistry. The Fenton reaction describes how free iron (the bad kind) reacts with hydrogen peroxide to generate the highly reactive and damaging hydroxyl radical. This radical causes an accumulation of damages to important cellular components and structures that contribute to senescence at the cellular level.
The so what: free iron increases oxidative stress via reactions like the Fenton reaction and thus promotes the formation of free radicals (which as we know are bad).
The benefits of iron chelation
Many current anti-aging approaches and skin care product brands (including my brand, Alchimie Forever) focus on the neutralization of existing ROS, primarily through the use of antioxidants, both natural (e.g. flavonoids, vitamins or trace elements), and synthetic (e.g. idebenone). The prevention of ROS generation however is just as important as their neutralization.
There are two major approaches to prevent ROS production: one well known, one less discussed. We all know that sun exposure (UV) is an essential external factor in the generation of ROS in the skin. In this context, the prevention of ROS generation focuses on sun avoidance and the use of SPF products.
Another way to prevent ROS generation is iron chelation (i.e. iron neutralization) and / or controlled iron deprivation. Some studies suggest that lower iron levels may be associated with increased longevity and reduced oxidative stress in certain contexts. In the skin specifically, iron depletion has been linked to the prevention of skin aging: some studies suggest that topical iron chelators help reduce UV-induced oxidative damage and support the skin’s defense against photodamage.
The so what: in addition to avoiding sun and UV exposure, consider iron chelation as a second method to prevent ROS generation and thus premature skin aging.
Iron chelating ingredients
For use in topical skin care products, ingredients that contain molecules with iron-chelating (aka iron-neutralizing) properties include Kojic acid, grapes, European blueberries.
One of the specific molecules to look for is quercetin. Quercetin is a plant-derived flavonoid whose chemical structure includes multiple hydroxyl (–OH) groups and a carbonyl group, which can bind metal ions. Because of that, it helps chelate (bind) iron, especially free iron.
The so what: By binding iron, quercetin helps reduce iron-driven free radical formation, thus preventing ROS damage and helping to maintain skin heath.
By helping limit excess free iron, iron chelators offer a complementary approach to traditional antioxidant strategies, supporting the skin by helping reduce the formation of free radicals triggered by UV exposure. While antioxidant strategies work by ‘adding’ protective molecules to neutralize ROS, iron chelation works by ‘taking away.’
To conclude, two very actionable recommendations. First, if you have been prescribed iron by your doctor, do not stop taking your medication. Second, for the rest of you, it may be worth taking a closer look at whether you need supplemental iron at all (sometimes found in multi-vitamins). Unless you are deficient or advised by a doctor, in the case of iron, less is more.