High Iron Content In Blood

Iron is an important mineral for human health, although excessively high iron levels can cause serious health problems. Your doctor can determine whether your blood levels of iron are too high by conducting a blood test, such as a serum iron test, serum ferritin test, or a total iron binding capacity test. As taking iron supplements can cause dangerously high iron levels, you should not take supplemental iron unless it is prescribed by a doctor.

Iron Overload

A higher-than-normal amount of iron in the blood is a sign of iron overload, or an excessive amount of iron in the body. Iron overload can cause excess iron in the vital organs and increase your risk of developing a number of chronic diseases, including liver disease, heart disease, diabetes and hypothyroidism, as well as premature death, according to the Iron Disorders Institute. Having too much iron in the body can also exacerbate existing neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and multiple sclerosis. In addition to elevated blood iron levels, some other signs of iron overload include chronic fatigue, joint pain, depression, loss of sex drive, elevated liver enzymes and irregular heart rhythm.

Hemochromatosis

According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC), hemochromatosis, a disorder that causes the body to absorb and store excess iron, is the most common cause of high iron levels and iron overload. While most people absorb about 10 percent of the iron they receive from foods, persons with hemochromatosis absorb about 30 percent, according to the NDDIC. As the body can't rid itself of excess iron, extra iron is stored in the heart, liver and pancreas, which can damage these organs and cause them to fail. While primary hemochromatosis is an inherited disease -- secondary hemochromatosis may be caused by alcoholism and other disorders -- symptoms of iron overload resulting from this genetic defect don't usually present themselves until about 30 to 50 years of age for men, and around 50 for women.

Other Causes

Besides hemochromatosis, high iron content in the blood may also result from taking high amounts of iron through supplements or, less commonly, from consuming excessive amounts of iron-rich foods or agents that enhance iron absorption such as vitamin C supplements and alcohol. According to the FDA, oral iron doses shouldn't exceed 45 mg per day. Severely high blood levels of iron from taking 50 or 100 times the recommended daily dose of iron can cause acute iron poisoning and death. Besides iron from dietary sources, receiving frequent blood transfusions can also cause high iron levels in the blood, resulting in a dangerous buildup of iron in the vital organs. According to Iron Disorders Institute, blood transfusion patients may start exhibiting symptoms of iron overload after as few as 10 transfusions.

Treatments

High iron levels can be treated successfully by removing blood from the body through phlebotomy or blood donations. The goal of such therapy is to get iron levels down to a normal level of 25 to 50 mcg of ferritin per liter of serum, according to the NDDIC. If the cause of your high blood levels is a chronic condition like hemochromatosis, after your iron levels return to normal, you'll have to undergo maintenance therapy, which involves giving a pint of blood every few months for the rest of your life. For iron overdose, usually caused by taking an excessive amount of supplemental iron by mouth, emergency gastric lavage to empty the stomach may be required. Signs of iron overdose resulting from severely high blood iron levels include buildup of fluid in the lungs, black stools, metallic taste in the mouth and coma.