Tag: Infection risks

While the placenta functions as a vital organ for delivering nutrients and oxygen to a fetus during pregnancy, scientific studies have found no proven health benefits for mothers consuming it postpartum. The question, 'Is there any nutritional value in the placenta?' is best answered by separating anecdotal claims from evidence-based research on the topic.

As part of a host defense mechanism known as nutritional immunity, the body actively withholds iron from invaders. This critical tactic explains why we can't give iron during infection, as doing so provides essential nutrients to pathogens, potentially exacerbating the illness and interfering with antibiotic efficacy.

During an infection, the human body's iron metabolism changes dramatically, a survival strategy that has evolved over millennia. This process, known as 'nutritional immunity,' is the primary reason why should iron not be given during infection.