Hemochromatosis is a condition in which your body builds up and stores too much iron. The extra iron in your body causes damage to your organs, primarily the liver, heart and pancreas, leading to life threatening conditions, including heart problems, liver disease and cancer.
Hemochromatosis is typically an inherited condition and is one of the most common genetic diseases in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. When not inherited, hemochromatosis can develop after years of taking too much iron, from repeated blood transfusions, or from dialysis for kidney disease.
Although hereditary hemochromatosis is present at birth, it is generally not apparent until later in life. Men begin to show signs of hemochromatosis between the age of 30 and 50, and women begin to show signs after the age of 50. Women experience the signs and symptoms of hemochromatosis later because they lose iron from blood loss during menstruation.
Signs and symptoms of early-stage hemochromatosis include fatigue, weakness, abdominal pain, joint pain, weight loss, and a fluttering in the chest. As the iron builds up and the disorder reaches its full expression, the common symptoms may include arthritis, missed periods, loss of sex drive, early menopause, impotence, and heart problems that include shortness of breath, changes in heart rate or rhythm, and chest pain. Signs of advanced hemochromatosis include an enlarged liver, cirrhosis, liver failure, or cancer. Other symptoms include: chronic abdominal pain, severe fatigue, weaking of the heart muscle or heart failure, arthritis, and changes in skin color that make the skin appear gray, yellow or bronze.
