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![]() HemochromatosisHemochromatosis is a disorder that interferes with iron metabolism, which results in too much iron in the body. After all, the producers of everything from breakfast cereals to vitamin tonics tell us that iron builds rich, red blood. In the body, iron becomes part of hemoglobin, a molecule in the blood that transports oxygen from the lungs to all body tissues. This disease causes extra iron to gradually build up in the body's tissues and organs, a term called iron overload. If this iron buildup is untreated, it can, over many years, damage the body's organs. That's because hereditary hemochromatosis causes your body to absorb too much iron from the food you eat. The excess is stored in your organs, especially your liver, heart and pancreas. Sometimes the stored iron damages these organs, leading to life-threatening conditions such as cancer, heart problems and liver disease. Signs and symptoms of hereditary hemochromatosis usually appear in midlife, although they may occur earlier. People with hemochromatosis absorb more than the body needs. Though not always easy to diagnose, hereditary hemochromatosis can be effectively treated by removing blood from your body to lower the level of iron. Hemochromatosis is the abnormal accumulation of iron in parenchymal organs, leading to organ toxicity. Undiagnosed and untreated HHC can develop into diseases such as diabetes, heart trouble, arthritis, cirrhosis of the liver, neurological problems, depression, impotence, infertility, and liver cancer. HHC/Iron overload generally manifests in a male's early thirties and is diagnosed in a male's mid to late fifties. The iron overload can cause many health problems, most frequently a form of diabetes that's often resistant to insulin treatment The most common complaint is joint pain, but hereditary hemochromatosis can also cause a number of other symptoms, including fatigue, abdominal pain and impotence. Some people with the disease develop symptoms by age 20, although signs of the condition usually appear between ages 40 and 60, when iron in the body has reached damaging levels. However, hereditary hemochromatosis should not be considered a disease of older people or men. Iron buildup from the disease is often present and silently causing problems long before symptoms occur - in men, women, adolescents, and, in rare cases, children. Causes of HemochromatosisThe common Causes of Hemochromatosis :
Symptoms of HemochromatosisSome Symptoms of Hemochromatosis :
Treatment of Hemochromatosis
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