Because humans cannot increase the excretion of iron, excess iron can overload and the abnormally stored iron is toxic to the body and over time the high levels of iron can damage tissues and organs.
Symptoms of hemochromatosis include:
*Extreme tiredness
*Weight loss
*Joint pain
*Bronze or grey skin color
*Abdominal pain
*Loss of sex drive
Symptoms of hemochromatosis usually show up in adulthood after the body has accumulated a significant amount of excess iron. Most people do not experience symptoms until later in life — usually after age 40 in men and after age 60 in women.
As the condition worsens, affected individuals may develop arthritis, liver disease (cirrhosis) or liver cancer, diabetes, heart abnormalities, or skin discoloration.
Haemochromatosis is caused by a faulty gene that can be passed on to a child by their parents. Most cases are linked to a fault in a gene called HFE, which affects your ability to absorb iron from food.
Hereditary hemochromatosis
