Iron and metabolic syndrome; a shield for women and sword for men In an analysis of 3,271 Swiss men and women, Kilani et al found a significant relationship between serum transferrin levels and increased risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in men only, whereas serum iron was found to be significantly protective against MetS in women. Ferritin showed no associations with either sex. Although causality cannot be determined, two mechanisms have been proposed. The first is that MetS leads to increased inflammatory status that leads to changes in iron homeostasis. The second is that elevated transferrin leads to MetS through a complex web of mechanisms beginning with excessive formation of reactive oxygen species and ending with insulin resistance and related comorbidities. It’s the little things MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that have the ability to control multiple genes and govern remote bodily processes through intertwined pathways. Researchers from the University of...
