With all the supplementation of iron in bread and cereal widely accepted, it is easy to overlook a potentially serious problem--you can ingest too much iron.

From a study in February 1999's American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: "Most dietary iron remains unabsorbed and hence may be available to participate in ...free radical generation...leading to the production of carcinogens or direct damage to 'colon cells.]"

What can you do about it? Pre-menopausal women lose iron in blood through menstruation. Men and post-menopausal women might consider buying iron-free vitamin pills, available widely. Aspirin causes some internal bleeding, harmful to some but not to most, and this rids the body of some iron.

Eating lot of fruits and vegetables should help prevent a deficiency of iron, which could also happen.

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