Our Question about your liver enzymes level"A common early sign of progressive iron overload is symptom-free elevation of liver enzymes, which can be accompanied by recurrent right-sided abdominal pain and liver enlargement..."

The Condition"...The use of supplementary iron and vitamin C (which increases iron absorption) may lead to earlier laboratory abnormalities and iron deposition..." Recommendation against Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)"One study has indicated that excessive vitamin C intake may be a contributing factor in hemochromatosis..."

An excess of iron deposits in the body, also known as iron overload.

A very common inherited disorder in which the body absorbs too much iron from the duodenum. The excess iron gives the skin a bronze color and damages the liver and other organs. Diabetes may also develop because of damage to the pancreas. Treatment usually involves periodic removal of blood to remove excess iron and avoiding iron in the diet.

Causes the body to absorb and store too much iron. Many patients can be treated without transplantation. However, it can lead to cirrhosis.

The Condition"...Therefore, unbound iron accumulates and generates free radicals, leading to cellular injury of the liver and other organs..." Relationship to Stroke"...High body iron stores may increase free radical production in brain cells, thus prompting stroke progression..." Recommendation Manganese"Manganese can protect against the free radical damage from excess iron..."

toxic accumulation of iron in organs leading to dysfunction, including cirrhosis; may be genetic (inherited increase in gut iron absorption) or a result of massive blood transfusions.

The Condition"...4% of African Americans who underwent liver biopsy during medical care delivery..."

is a hereditary disease, and is the most common form of iron overload disease, characterized by an accumulation of extra iron in parenchymal tissues and organs. Such extra iron damages organs, causing them to eventually fail if left untreated. This extra iron is caused by increased absorption in excess of what the body needs. The body does not eliminate excess iron naturally, instead it stores it in organs, especially the liver, heart, and pancreas. Men are five times more likely to be diagnosed with this disease than women. Men also tend to develop problematic symptoms at an earlier age. ( NIDDK; Mayo Clinic)

pathology in which iron accumulates in the tissues; characterized by bronzed skin and enlarged liver and diabetes mellitus and abnormalities of the pancreas and the joints

An often overlooked ailment associated with iron in drinking water.

A rare disease of iron metabolism, characterized by excess iron deposits throughout the body.

Also called iron overload disorder, is one of the most common genetic disorders in the United States. This autosomal recessive disorder is characterized by abnormal retention of iron through increased iron absorption in the intestine, leading to symptoms and complications such as bronzed skin, cirrhosis and cancer of the liver, diabetes and heart failure. Symptoms appear slowly and the disease is often undiagnosed, or diagnosed too late to prevent the worst complications. The disease is thought to be one of the most common genetic disorders - about one in nine Caucasian Americans carries a recessive mutation in the HFE gene, which regulates the amount of iron absorbed from food. Two mutations, named C282Y and H63D, can cause the disease. A person who inherits the defective gene from only one parent is a carrier for the disease but usually does not develop it. However, carriers might have a slight increase in iron absorption. Not everyone who inherits two such mutations develops the disease, however, suggesting other factors may be at work.

A disease in which the body absorbs too much iron. The body stores the excess iron first in the liver and then in pancreas and other organs. As iron overload occurs liver function test rise. The subsequent chronic inflammation of the liver can result in cirrhosis.

a metabolic disorder that causes increased absorption of iron, which is deposited in the body tissues and organs. The iron accumulates in the body where it may become toxic and cause damage.

Hemochromatosis (iron overload) is an inherited disorder in how the body absorbs and stores iron. The excess iron gives the skin a bronze color and damages the liver and other organs. Diabetes is also a part of the syndrome due to damage to the pancreas.

a genetic disorder in which too much iron is absorbed from food

An inherited or acquired disorder that interferes with iron metabolism and results in excess iron deposits. Excess iron accumulates in the liver and causes liver enlargement and can eventually affect other organs. This disease may lead to the development of diabetes, skin pigment changes, cardiac problems, arthritis, cirrhosis of the liver, liver cancer, hypopituitarism, chronic abdominal pain, severe fatigue and increased risk of certain bacterial infections. Hemochromatosis affects men more frequently than women. Symptoms are often seen in men between the ages of 30 and 50 and in women older than 50, although some people may develop problems by age 20.

An inherited disease that occurs when the body absorbs too much iron. The body stores the excess iron in the liver, pancreas, and other organs. It affects males more than females. Females are more protected because of losing iron through menstruation. May cause liver disease and even cirrhosis of the liver, if not treated. Also called iron overload disease. Family members of patients with inherited hemochromatosis should also be tested for presence of hemochromatosis.

a hereditary disorder affecting iron metabolism in which excessive amounts of iron accumulate in the body tissues. the disorder is characterized by diabetes mellitus, liver dysfunction, and a bronze pigmentation of the skin.

The toxic accumulation of iron in organs, which leads to dysfunction in certain organs. These organs can include the liver, bone marrow, pancreas, skin, and testicles. Hemochromatosis is often considered a genetic disorder, with an inherited increase in gut iron absorption, but can also arise as a result of multiple blood transfusions. It affects approximately 1 in 400 individuals of European ancestry.

(HEE-moh-kroh-muh-TOH-sis) A condition in which the body absorbs more iron from food than it needs. The extra iron is stored in and may damage the liver, heart, and pancreas. It may cause organ failure, cancer, heart problems, and liver disease. Hemochromatosis may also cause bronze skin, diabetes, pain in the joints and abdomen, tiredness, and impotence.

The Condition"...HHC is characterized by increased iron absorption in the gastrointestinal tract that may cause lifelong excessive iron absorption and accumulation and serious health effects including arthritis, cirrhosis, diabetes, impotence, myocardial infarction, and death..." Relationship to Cirrhosis of the Liver" Cirrhosis is the most common severe consequence of hemochromatosis..." Relationship to Liver Cancer"Once a person's liver iron concentration reaches 400 mmol/gm (dry weight), cirrhosis is common and the risk of liver cancer and death is increased..."

The Condition"...Conversely, blood donation, physiologic blood loss (through menstruation and pregnancy), and pathologic blood loss (for example, through peptic ulceration or inflammatory bowel disease) may decrease the amount of iron stored in the liver..."

A hereditary disorder that causes your body tissues to absorb and store too much iron. One cannot "catch" Hemochromatosis. It is a hereditary condition, primarily. The disease (which is actually many diseases) has also been known to develop as a result of dietary iron intake in sufficient quantity. Its worst effects are preventable, by early diagnosis and treatment, but, if the patient is not found in time, it is crippling and potentially fatal.

A disorder of iron metabolism partially characterized by excessive absorption of ingested iron, particularly in the liver, pancreas, and skin. Cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes (bronze diabetes), bronze pigmentation of the skin, and eventually, heart failure may occur. Hemochromatosis can also result from administration of large amounts of iron orally, by injection, or in forms of blood transfusion therapy. Source: The Canadian Haemochromatosis Society

The Condition"...Diagnosis Liver biopsy continues to be the gold standard for diagnosis and staging of HHC because it can detect the level of iron overload and identify hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis..."

The Condition"...Persons with normal hemoglobin levels and iron stores absorb just enough iron to meet their daily needs and balance losses (1mg per day)..."

A rare disease in which iron deposits build up throughout the body. Enlarged liver, skin discoloration, diabetes mellitus, and heart failure may occur.

The Condition"...Prognosis The causes of death in untreated patients include cardiac failure (30%), liver failure or portal hypertension (25%), and hepatocellular carcinoma (30%)..."

The Condition"...The amount of iron absorbed is influenced by the amount of iron stored in the body, the rate and effectiveness of red blood cell creation, the amount and form of iron in the diet, and the presence of iron absorption enhancers and inhibitors in the diet..."

Our Question about your skin color prior to suntan"...Deposition of iron within the skin causes inflammation and enhances melanin production by melanocytes..."