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Disorders of Iron
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Search by Disorder
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| Iron Related Issues
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| Too Much Iron
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Too much iron in the body is called iron overload.
Symptoms of iron overload include:
chronic fatigue
joint pain
abdominal pain
irregular heart rhythm
loss of period
loss of interest in sex
hair loss
skin color changes
Organs cannot function normally with very high levels of iron. Eventually, these organs become diseased. The chart below lists some of the proven diseases caused by too much iron in the body.
| Organ |
Disease Or Illness Caused By Too Much Iron
| | Liver | Cirrhosis, Liver Cancer
| | Joints/Bones | Osteoarthritis, Osteopenia, Osteomalacia
| | Pancreas | Diabetes
| | Gallbladder | Gallstones
| | Heart | Irregular Heart Beat, Heart Attack
| | Anterior Pituitary | Hypothyroidism, Infertility, Impotence, Depression, Hypogonadism
| | Skin | Bronze or Ashen Gray Green Color |
| Causes of Too Much Iron:
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Inherited conditions can result in excess levels of iron. Patients who need regular blood transfusions, iron infusions or iron injections can also develop high levels of iron. Taking frequent, large doses of iron pills or eating great amounts of red meat (beef, venison, lamb) might also lead to too much iron in the body.
Common known conditions of iron overload include hereditary hemochromatosis, African siderosis, and juvenile hemochromatosis. Neonatal hemochromatosis also results is iron overload but it is not known if this condition is inherited or acquired from the mother during pregnancy.
However, iron overload can also occur in patients with too little iron (anemia).
See Complicated Iron
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