eli5: Why do we need iron as a nutrient? I understand iron as a metal. Why do we need to consume it?

Question

eli5: Why do we need iron as a nutrient? I understand iron as a metal. Why do we need to consume it?

In: 7

Answer 1

And just like most things, too much of something that we need to live is bad too. Hemochromatosis is the body’s inability to process iron efficiently. “Unused” iron just builds up and floats around, eventually collecting in vital organs and causing problems