Everyone needs iron to deliver oxygen to cells and tissues. Iron is required for hemoglobin production, the part of the red blood cells that delivers the oxygen. Problems with iron usually run on the side of deficiency, but in rare cases, you could have high iron. High iron can be dangerous to your health in some instances, and should be monitored and treated by a doctor.
Iron and Ferritin Levels
Two factors come into play when defining high iron: serum iron and ferritin levels. Serum iron testing is a blood test to determine how much actual iron is in your blood. Ferritin testing, also performed through a blood draw, measures the protein in your cells that stores iron for future use. If you are diagnosed with "high iron," most likely both your iron and ferritin are elevated. Iron levels range from 60 to 170 mcg/dL. Normal ferritin levels for females are 12 to 150 ng/dL and 12 to 300 ng/dL for males. Levels higher than the high end of normal for either of these substances can be considered too high.
Causes
High iron levels can be caused by a variety of factors, most of which are underlying medical conditions that, once resolved, can bring iron levels back to normal. Liver disease -- including alcoholic liver disease, hepatitis and hepatic necrosis -- anemias that are treated with red blood cell transfusions and vitamin B-12 and B-6 deficiencies can all cause iron levels to become too high. Another condition in which iron is elevated is hemochromatosis, which is the medical term used to describe a buildup of iron in the body.
Hemochromatosis
Hemochromatosis is a condition you can either inherit or develop in response to an underlying illness. Genetic hemochromatosis is referred to as the primary form of the disease; your body is predisposed to storing more iron than it should. Anemia and alcoholism can lead to secondary hemochromatosis. Men in their thirties and forties are more likely to be diagnosed with hemochromatosis than women, but women over 50 is another common population affected. In addition to high iron levels, people with hemochromatosis may experience a reduction in sex drive, abdominal pain, loss of body hair and a dark discoloration of the skin.
Treatment
Treatment for high iron levels related to other medical conditions is managing the underlying illness with the addition of close monitoring of iron and ferritin levels. Primary hemochromatosis is treated through a series of blood draws to bring iron levels down to a more normal range. Upon diagnosis, you may require weekly blood draws of up to half a liter each time. As your symptoms and lab results stabilize, treatments may become less frequent. Your doctor may also limit your iron consumption and tell you not to drink alcohol.
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