Excess Iron Disease

Hemochromatosis is an inherited disease that causes excess levels of iron to build up in the liver, pancreas and other organs of the body. The condition results from an abnormally high absorption of iron.

Symptoms

• According to the Mayo Clinic, early symptoms of hemochromatosis are similar to the signs of other medical conditions and may include chronic fatigue, impotence and abdominal pain. Patients with advanced hemochromatosis may experience liver failure, diabetes and congestive heart failure.

Causes

• Hemochromatosis results from a malfunction of the gene that determines the amount of iron that the body will absorb from food.

Risk Factors

• Individuals of Northern European descent and men have a higher risk of developing hemochromatosis.

Complications

• Untreated hemochromatosis can lead to life threatening complications including cirrhosis of the liver, heart arrhythmias or liver cancer.

Treatment

• Hemochromatosis is often treated by removing blood from a patient’s body to reduce iron levels in the blood.