what is hemochromatosis

Hemochromatosis is a metabolic disorder in which the body accumulates excess iron, leading to organ damage. Normally, the intestines absorb just the right amount of iron from the foods we eat, but in hemochromatosis, the body absorbs too much iron from the food we eat, and excess iron is stored in organs, especially the liver, heart, and pancreas. Hemochromatosis can cause life-threatening conditions such as liver disease, heart problems, and diabetes. There are a few types of hemochromatosis, but the most common type is caused by a gene change passed down through families. Symptoms of hemochromatosis include pain in the joints, feeling tired, unexplained weight loss, skin that has a bronze or gray color, pain in the belly, loss of sex drive, loss of body hair, heart flutter, and foggy memory. However, not everyone develops iron overload to a degree that causes tissue and organ damage. Hemochromatosis can be diagnosed through blood tests to check for high levels of iron and certain proteins in the blood and to check for gene mutations that commonly cause hemochromatosis. Treatment of hemochromatosis can include changes to the diet, such as avoiding supplements with iron and foods with too much iron, and other treatments to help ease the symptoms and prevent or delay further damage to the organs.