IRON OVERLOAD Too much of a good thing


It is very important to visit the IHA stand to learn about the serious effects of iron overload. An early diagnosis is vital.

It is possible to have too much iron in your system because of a genetic condition called haemochromatosis. It is more common in Ireland than in any other country in the world and is known as the Celtic Mutation.

Haemochromatosis is a genetic disorder where the body absorbs excessive iron from the diet and this iron is stored in the body. The accumulated iron affects the liver, heart, pancreas, endocrine glands and joints. This excessive iron burden leads to impaired function of these organs and eventually to disease and organ failure.

In the past people suffering from chronic fatigue were sometimes prescribed iron supplements, whereas in reality they were suffering from extreme tiredness because of an excess of iron.

When diagnosed early, haemochromatosis responds well to the recommended treatment. This is known as venesection or phlebotomy and involves the removal of a unit of blood. In the majority of cases the underlying cause of haemochromatosis is the inheritance of a mutated or faulty gene which stops the body from correctly regulating iron. It is estimated that one in 86 Irish people are predisposed to iron overload. There may be heavy overload before any symptoms appear. The most common symptoms are, chronic fatigue, joint pain, diabetes, irregular heart beat, enlarged liver and loss of sex drive.However not all people with the genetic mutation will be predisposed to load iron.

A simple blood test to check your iron status can confirm or rule out iron overload. If both the ferritin and the transferrin saturation are raised then a genetic test is also done.

The website of the Irish Haemochromatosis Association is www.haemochromatosis-ir.com and the telephone is (01) 8735911