Sometimes, excess iron in the body causes a condition called “hemochromatosis,” a medical disorder where the body accumulates too much iron. Symptoms are often mild, including fatigue, joint pain, and a rusty or gray skin color, but if left untreated, it can lead to complications such as liver damage or heart failure.

According to the website “Very well health,” the most common cause is a genetic mutation, but blood transfusions and liver diseases can also lead to hemochromatosis. Treatment involves removing excess iron from the body through therapeutic phlebotomy, which usually yields good results.

Hemochromatosis is generally classified as primary or secondary. Primary hemochromatosis is hereditary, caused by genetic mutations affecting the body’s iron absorption, while secondary hemochromatosis results from underlying diseases causing excessive iron accumulation.

The inheritance pattern of primary hemochromatosis is “autosomal recessive,” meaning symptoms appear if the mutation is inherited from both parents, while carrying only one copy usually causes no symptoms.

If a person carries the mutation, they show no symptoms but may pass it to their children if the other parent also carries the gene. Symptoms typically begin in the 40s or 50s.

Secondary hemochromatosis may occur due to medical conditions or situations leading to increased iron levels, such as:

• Repeated blood transfusions (usually as treatment for blood disorders)
• Kidney failure
• Liver diseases

Excessive iron supplements or dietary iron intake is a rare cause because even with high iron intake, the body’s absorption and excretion remain near normal levels.

In children, hemochromatosis can appear before age 30, causing delayed puberty, heart disease, diabetes, joint pain, and liver disease. This form is caused by mutations in the HAMP or HJV genes and is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern.

Neonatal hemochromatosis is a rare disorder caused by liver damage in infants, possibly due to the parents’ immune system, leading to excess iron accumulation in the baby’s body.

The main risk factor for hemochromatosis is having a parent who carries the genetic mutation, along with an underlying cause of iron overload.

You may already know you are at risk if a parent, sibling, or blood relative has hereditary hemochromatosis. In such cases, testing can determine if you inherited the mutation.

Risk factors for secondary hemochromatosis include blood disorders treated with repeated transfusions, such as sickle cell anemia or thalassemia, liver or kidney diseases, or high doses of iron supplements.

Signs and symptoms of hemochromatosis include:

• Brain fog
• Mood swings
• Weight loss
• Joint pain
• Liver disease signs such as abdominal swelling or darkening or graying of the skin
• Diabetes
• Irregular heartbeat or heart failure
• Menstrual irregularities
• Blood pressure problems
• Hypothyroidism

These symptoms may gradually worsen. Medical care is important whether or not you are at risk for hemochromatosis.

If you have hereditary hemochromatosis, lifelong treatment and monitoring are needed. Treatment can reduce iron levels and prevent complications.

For secondary hemochromatosis, treatment to remove excess iron and management of the underlying cause are necessary, along with ongoing monitoring for iron overload recurrence.

Treatment usually involves therapeutic phlebotomy, which lowers iron stores by blood removal, though its effect is temporary.

In some cases, chelation therapy, a medication that binds iron to remove it, may be used.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend the following strategies to live with hemochromatosis:

• Avoid vitamin C and iron supplements, which can increase iron levels in the body.
• Avoid alcohol as it increases the risk of liver damage.
• Prevent infections by avoiding raw fish and shellfish and getting recommended vaccinations.