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Isn't It "Iron"-ic? Trivia Quiz

How much do you know about iron as it relates to your health? Scoring 10/10 on this quiz will give you a satisfied "FE"eling!

A multiple-choice quiz by LilahDeDah. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
LilahDeDah

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
191,006

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
4 / 10

Plays
1153

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. We all know that iron is important and that we should get enough of it, but what the heck do our bodies actually use it for? Hint

Hemochromatosis

Erythropoiesis

Anemia

Decussation

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Question 2 of 10

2. The iron in grains, beans and legumes is as easily absorbed as the iron in animal foods such as red meat.

True

False

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Question 3 of 10

3. If you're a man, most of your normal daily iron loss will be in this form. Hint

Hemorrhage

Destruction of erythrocytes

Epithelial desquamation

Intestinal absorption

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Question 4 of 10

4. Which of the following contains the most iron? Hint

Cod liver oil

Three ounces of oysters

A medium baked potato

A can of fortified Diet Coke

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. To maximize your body's absorption of iron, you should do which of the following? Hint

Eat iron-rich foods together with tomato sauce or citrus

Eat iron-rich foods along with high-fiber legumes

Eat iron-rich foods with a cup of strong brewed tea

Don't eat iron-rich foods in combination with others

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. Which of the following persons probably does NOT need extra iron? Hint

A middle-aged man with heart disease

A vegetarian teenaged girl

A pregnant woman

A male bimonthly blood donor

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Question 7 of 10

7. Smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol can increase total body iron stores.

True

False

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. If there were a suspicion that you were suffering from the most common iron disorder, which of these blood tests would your physician most likely perform? Hint

Fasting serum iron and total cholesterol

Complete blood count and hemochromatosis

Ferritin and liver function tests

Ferritin and transferrin

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. As with so much in life, too much iron can be as bad as too little. Which of the following can be a symptom of iron overload? Hint

Your skin turns gray, bronze, or brown

You have heavy periods

You are weak and fatigued

You are pale with frequent colds

10. Finally, we should discuss the serious problem of iron poisoning in young children, for whom even 200 mg of iron can be fatal. That's as few as five pills! What action has the US Food and Drug Administration NOT taken to help prevent further tragedies of this kind? Hint

Forbidden children's vitamins to contain iron

Sponsored an education campaign about iron overdose

Required child-resistant packaging for drugs and food supplements with more than 250 mg of iron per container

Mandated warnings on all iron-containing drugs and supplements

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. We all know that iron is important and that we should get enough of it, but what the heck do our bodies actually use it for?

Answer: Erythropoiesis

Erythropoiesis occurs in the bone marrow and requires iron to make hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying part of a red blood cell. Anemia is a reduction in red blood cells, whereas hemochromatosis is an inherited disorder of iron metabolism that causes increased absorption and storage of iron. Decussation is a cool word I found on an anatomy terminology site.

It is an intersection of nerve pathways.

2. The iron in grains, beans and legumes is as easily absorbed as the iron in animal foods such as red meat.

Answer: False

Animal sources of iron contain heme iron, which is absorbed more easily by the body. Only about 3-10 percent of plant iron (nonheme iron) is absorbed, vs. 20-30 percent for heme iron. This does not mean that vegetarians can't get enough iron from plant sources, but they do have to be extra-vigilant and informed to do so.

3. If you're a man, most of your normal daily iron loss will be in this form.

Answer: Epithelial desquamation

Men lose 1-2 mg of iron a day due to epithelial desquamation (the normal shedding of skin). Almost all the iron in old red blood cells (erythrocytes) is recycled very efficiently by the body. Intestinal absorption is the way iron enters the body. Hemorrhage, of course, results in iron loss but is not a normal occurence.

This question is about men because pre-menopausal women lose about another half a milligram a day on average.

4. Which of the following contains the most iron?

Answer: Three ounces of oysters

Cod liver oil contains vitamins A and D and also omega-3 fatty acids, but not iron. Oysters are a good iron source--three ounces provide 6 mg. The baked potato is runner-up with about 2.5 mg. Diet Coke (I made up the fortified part) is almost never the right answer on a nutrition quiz.

5. To maximize your body's absorption of iron, you should do which of the following?

Answer: Eat iron-rich foods together with tomato sauce or citrus

Vitamin C (found in citrus and tomato sauce) increases iron absorption. Caffeine, fiber, phytates (found in legumes) and calcium decrease iron absorption.

6. Which of the following persons probably does NOT need extra iron?

Answer: A middle-aged man with heart disease

Vegetarians often have difficulty obtaining enough iron from plant sources alone, and teenaged girls are often deficient due to menstruation and poor eating habits. Pregnant women need extra iron for the growing baby, and someone who donates blood six times a year (the maximum allowed for healthy people) probably needs slightly more iron to help in red blood cell replacement. However, new research has implicated high iron stores in men with an increased risk of heart disease.
(For more info on this, go to www.americanheart.org and read the article entitled "Iron and Heart Disease".)

7. Smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol can increase total body iron stores.

Answer: True

This is strange but true. Iron is a component of cigarette smoke, and alcohol makes makes the stomach more acidic and increases iron absorption from dietary sources.

8. If there were a suspicion that you were suffering from the most common iron disorder, which of these blood tests would your physician most likely perform?

Answer: Ferritin and transferrin

Iron-deficiency anemia is the most common iron disorder. It is diagnosed by history (especially dietary and menstrual history), physical exam, and most or all of the following blood tests: Complete blood count, serum iron, ferritin, and transferrin. Cholesterol and liver function tests are important for health maintenance but not specifically for anemia screening.

Hemochromatosis is a genetic disorder of iron metabolism.

9. As with so much in life, too much iron can be as bad as too little. Which of the following can be a symptom of iron overload?

Answer: Your skin turns gray, bronze, or brown

The incorrect answers are all signs of iron deficiency. Other signs of iron overload (often from too much dietary iron or supplementation) are joint pain, irregular periods and infertility in women, impotence in men, and diabetic and cirrhotic symptoms.
(From the article "Striking a Balance with Iron" by Janice Daciuk)

Answer: Forbidden children's vitamins to contain iron

(Info from "Preventing Iron Poisoning in Children" at http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/bgiron.html)

I hope this quiz has "iron"ed out any confusion you may have had about iron! Why not "steel" some time and try some of my other quizzes? I hope you won't find them "boron"ing!

Source: Author LilahDeDah

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor crisw before going online.
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