On Thu, 21 May 1998, Bill Wilcox wrote:

> Todd Moody wrote:
> > Some time back, Muriel Hykes posted a message on this list making
> > essentially this same point, arguing that the true paleo
> > lifestyle was fairly rough, and between hunting and fighting the
> > men would have done a fair amount of bleeding.
>
> Unless they were at war I don't think that they would have bled
> enough to equal even one time donating blood, even in a year's
> time.  A pint of blood is quite a lot.

You're probably right.  It may also be true that blood loss due
to internal parasites was substantial.

The following abstract notes the specific virtues of curcumin
(from the spice turmeric) as an inhibitor of iron-catalyzed
oxidation of lipids.

Todd Moody
[log in to unmask]

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J Pharm Pharmacol 1994 Dec;46(12):1013-1016

Curcuminoids as potent inhibitors of lipid peroxidation.

Sreejayan, Rao MN

Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Manipal, India.

Earlier studies showed that curcumin is a potent inhibitor
iron-catalysed lipid peroxidation. Demethoxycurcumin,
bisdemethoxycurcumin and acetylcurcumin were tested for their
ability to inhibit iron-stimulated lipid peroxidation in rat
brain homogenate and rat liver microsomes. Comparison of the
results with curcumin showed that all compounds are equally
active, and more potent than alpha-tocopherol. These results
showed that the methoxy and phenolic groups contribute little to
the activity. Spectral studies showed that all compounds could
interact with iron. Thus, the inhibition of iron-catalysed lipid
peroxidation by curcuminoids may involve chelation of iron.