If you're taking supplemental iron tablets, they can damage your DNA within 10 minutes, according to a study conducted at Imperial College London. The researchers suggested that experts should be taking a closer look at the effects that amounts of iron given in standard treatments could be having on the body.

Adequate iron levels are essential because iron is vital in transporting oxygen from the lungs to tissues throughout the body, and low levels can cause anemia.

Iron tablets are available over-the-counter as well as by prescription. Most Americans get enough iron in their daily diets, according to the National Institutes of Health. In addition, many Americans take vitamin/mineral supplements which typically contain 18 mg iron, which is the recommended daily amount for men and women over 50.

In the study, which was published in the journal PLOS ONE, researchers added an iron solution to human endothelial cells, which line blood vessels. The solution was in a concentration similar to that seen in blood vessels after taking an iron tablet.

They discovered that within 10 minutes, the iron solution had activated DNA repair systems. The effect lasted for six hours.

"We already knew that iron could be damaging to cells in very high doses," said study author Dr. Clarie Shovlin. "However, in this study we found that when we applied the kinds of levels of iron you would find in the blood stream after taking an iron tablet, this also seemed to be able to trigger cell damage — at least in the laboratory. In other words, cells seem more sensitive to iron than we previously thought."

Shovlin urged patients to continue supplements prescribed by their doctors. "Many people need extra iron, and anyone with any concerns about their iron supplements should talk to their healthcare provider," she said.

"However, this study helps to open the conversation about how much iron people take. At the moment, each standard iron tablet contains almost 10 times the amount of iron men are recommended to eat each day — and these dosages haven’t changed for more than 50 years. This research suggests we may need to think more carefully about how much iron we give to people, and try and tailor the dose to the patient."

Dr. Russell Blaylock, author of The Blaylock Wellness Report, has long warned about the dangers of excess iron. "Excess iron is a major contributor to disease," he says. "A number of studies have shown that individuals having iron levels on the high side of the normal range have an increased risk of heart attacks, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases."

Earlier research, like the Framingham study, also found that people with the highest levels of iron, especially women, had the highest risk of heart attacks and strokes. Studies have also found that injecting animals with iron accelerates the development of atherosclerosis, says Dr. Blaylock.

"The reason iron causes atherosclerosis is that it triggers a tremendous generation of free radicals, leading to damage to blood vessels and oxidation of LDL cholesterol," he says.

"Iron also dramatically increases inflammation," says Dr. Blaylock. "Higher than normal iron levels are a sure road to disease."