Excess iron in the blood, or iron overload, is most often a sign of an inherited disorder known as hemochromatosis. Too much iron is absorbed from the diet into the blood, where it travels to the liver, heart, pancreas and other organs and body tissues. These organs store excess iron and complications such as change of skin color, liver damage, diabetes and congestive heart failure may result.
Skin Changes
When excess iron moves from the blood into body tissues, it is deposited in skin cells. As a result, the skin takes on a gray or bronze pigmentation in more than 90 percent of affected people, according to the Centers for Disease Control. This hyperpigmentation also causes some people with excess iron to become more sensitive to ultraviolet light and tan more easily.
Liver Conditions
Unless excess iron in the blood is treated early, iron build-up in the body can result in any of a variety of liver conditions. That's because the liver normally stores excess iron from the blood and collects even more in the case of ongoing iron overload. Enlarged liver is one of the first manifestations of advanced hemochromatosis. Other conditions that affect the liver include liver cancer, liver failure and scarring (cirrhosis). People with hemochromatosis and cirrhosis have a higher risk of developing liver cancer than others, even if iron levels are brought under control.
Diabetes
When excess iron in the blood leads to hemochromatosis, problems may develop in the pancreas and up to 75 percent of people affected will develop diabetes, according to the CDC. Anyone who has a family history of diabetes and hemochromatosis has a higher risk of developing diabetes because some of the excess iron in the blood ends up in the pancreas and insulin production is hampered. When insulin production is abnormal, blood sugar levels in the blood are elevated.
Congestive Heart Failure
Excess iron in the blood may eventually causes angina (heart pain), pericarditis (inflammation of the tissue surrounding the heart) and arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats that cause palpitations), and can ultimately lead to heart failure. This is not a very common complication of excess blood iron, but once heart failure becomes evident, it is very difficult to treat.
Other Complications
Other complications of excess iron in the blood include joint pain and arthritis, abdominal pain, pulmonary hypertension and loss of sex drive.
The complications of hemochromatosis can be prevented, managed and sometimes even reversed by routinely removing blood from the body. That involves giving blood at the doctor's office or a hospital, once or twice a week, possibly for several months, until iron levels are normal, and then every two to four months to maintain normal iron levels. The treatment itself may cause complications such as iron-deficiency anemia, but iron supplements cannot be given with this condition.
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