[altgeek]

If you're an older adult with high ferritin levels (genetic or oterhwise), you should avoid cast iron. High ferritin has been linked with hepatic injury, cancer, and a other endocrine disorders. See https://irondisorders.org/too-much-iron/

[ridgeguy]

Thanks for this.

I'm heterozygous for a hemochromatosis gene and my ferritin is elevated (although not nearly as much as if I were homozygous). I give blood every month to maintain normal ferritin levels.

I'd never thought about my cast iron fry pans as a source of dietary iron. Obvious in retrospect.

[altgeek]

I don't have the alleles, _but_ the test is designed for western Europeans (and specifically shows up often in people from Ireland.) There are some candidate alleles for East Asians, but nothing concrete yet from LabCorp or Quest Diagnostics.

I donate blood using apheresis machines (i.e. the "2x" RBC) when possible, since I need to hoard my plasma for other another health condition.

[za3faran]

Are there any health concerns with stainless steel (e.g. nickel content)?

[altgeek]

Mm, never heard of it... let's do some googling with pubmed...

Oh good lord :facepalm: "Stainless steel cookware as a significant source of nickel, chromium, and iron" https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1514841/ (1992)

Well, my all-clad cookware _stays_ put regardless.