Doctor's Notes on Iron Overload (Hemochromatosis)
Hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) is a genetic disorder that causes excess iron retention in the body. Normally, the balance of iron concentration in the body is regulated by the amount of iron stored in the body. Iron may be lost in the sweat, shed from the skin, and excreted from the cells in the intestines. Iron overload results when this regulatory mechanism is impaired and an excess amount of iron is absorbed from the intestines regardless of the iron stores already in the body.
Symptoms of hemochromatosis include
- weakness,
- weariness,
- weight loss,
- change in skin color (discoloration),
- abdominal pain, and
- loss of sex drive.
Hemochromatosis often affects the liver, pancreas, joints, skin, heart, testicles, and the thyroid gland. Symptoms that may result from these organs being affected include
- liver disease,
- diabetes mellitus,
- joint pain and arthritis,
- heart failure or heart rhythm disturbances,
- impotence (erectile dysfunction), or
- hypothyroidism.
What is the treatment for hemochromatosis (HH)?
The treatment goal is to reduce the iron levels in the patient’s body. Two main methods to accomplish this are blood removal (phlebotomy) and chelation (iron bonding):
- Blood removal – Initial treatment is to take about a pint (470 ml) once or twice a week until iron levels are normal; then have the blood removed at a slower pace (a pint every 2 – 3 months)
- Chelation – use of a drug that binds iron and excretes it with urination; not usually used in patients with hereditary HH
Patients with HH should do the following:
- Do not take iron or vitamin C supplements, or multivitamins with iron
- Avoid alcohol
- Do not eat raw fish and shellfish
Pancreatitis : Test Your Medical IQ Quiz
QuestionPancreatitis is inflammation of an organ in the abdomen called the pancreas.
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What Foods Are the Highest in Iron?
Meat, eggs and seafood are high-iron foods. Specific fruits and vegetables -- kale and strawberries, for example -- are also high in iron.
REFERENCE:
Kasper, D.L., et al., eds. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 19th Ed. United States: McGraw-Hill Education, 2015.