While having adequate iron stores to carry oxygen to body tissues is important, too much iron in the blood can be as harmful as too little. Hemochromatosis, the most common type of high iron levels, affects 1 out of 200 to 300 people. Both men and women can inherit the gene that causes hemochromatosis, the most common single gene disorder in Western countries, according to the American Diabetes Association. While people normally absorb around 10 percent of the iron they ingest, people with hemochromatosis absorb up to 30 percent, resulting in iron overload.
Age When Symptoms Appear
Men are usually diagnosed earlier than women, who lose iron each month during the menstrual cycle and during childbearing and breastfeeding. Because many women are slightly anemic during childbearing years, they don't accumulate iron as rapidly, and iron overload might not be evident until after menopause. Women normally develop symptoms of hemochromatosis around age 50, compared with men, who normally develop symptoms between age 30 and 50.
Early Symptoms
Early symptoms are often vague and nonspecific, making diagnosis difficult. Fatigue and weakness affect around 75 percent of people at the time of diagnosis. Joint pain, especially in the fingers, from crystal accumulation in the joints affects about 44 percent of people with the disorder. Around 70 percent have a bronze pigmentation to the skin. In women, iron buildup in the pituitary gland can cause amenorrhea, a lack of menstrual periods, although premature menopause doesn't often occur. Women, unlike men, rarely experience decreased sex drive.
Later Symptoms
Over time, if hemochromatosis in women goes untreated, and iron builds up in organs such as the heart, liver and pancreas, severe organ damage can occur. Signs of late hemochromatosis include diabetes, which occurs from iron buildup in the pancreas; cardiomyopathy, or weakness of the heart muscles due to iron making the tissues stiff; and liver damage. Occasionally, rapid or irregular heartbeat is the first sign of the disorder.
Increased Cancer Risk
Iron accumulation can increase the risk of liver cancer, but not other cancers, a 10-year Swedish study of patients with hemochromatosis published in "Gastroenterology" in 2003 found. While both men and women with hemochromatosis can develop liver cancer, liver cancer occurs much more frequently in men than women. Women have a sevenfold increase in the risk of developing liver cancer, while men have a 30-fold increase.
References
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders
- American Diabetes Association: Hemochromatosis
- Genetic Health: Hemochromatosis
- UpToDate: Hemochromatosis
- "Gastroenterology"; "Cancer Risk in Patients with Hereditary Hemochromatosis and in Their First-degree Relatives"; Maria Elmberg et al; December 2003
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