Iron is an mineral that is especially important for the synthesis of new red blood cells, which are used to carry oxygen throughout the body. Although having too little iron in your body can cause health problems, too much iron is also dangerous. Excess iron gets deposited throughout your body, where it can cause tissue damage, particularly to the liver. This excess can be caused by consuming too much iron or as a result of genetic defects--leading to a condition called hemochromatosis.
Step 1
Have weekly phlebotomies. Medline indicates that a phlebotomy is the procedure by which blood is taken from your body, using a vein puncture. Not only will this procedure help remove some of the iron from your blood, it will also remove red blood cells, which your body will then need to replenish. The iron used in this process of making new red blood cells, will also help reduce your levels to normal. A typical phlebotomy for the treatment of extra iron involves the removal of approximately half of one liter of blood from your body. This can be done by your doctor, a local hospital or health clinic.
Step 2
Have your blood's iron, transferrin and red blood cell levels tested on a regular basis. According to Merck, you will need to continue having phlebotomies until the levels of iron in your blood return to normal. Transferrin tests measure how much iron is bound to proteins in your body and allows doctors to measure your body's iron reserves. Typically, weekly phlebotomies need to be done until your transferrin levels are at less than 50 percent saturation (which means less than 50 percent of the transferrin proteins in your blood have iron bound to them). Doctors will also need to measure the amount of red blood cells in your body, to make sure you do not become anemic.
Step 3
Avoid iron in your diet. Medline indicates that it is essential to limit your iron intake. This means that you will need to stop taking any iron supplements or vitamins that contain iron. You should also avoid raw seafood and fortified processed foods (such as many breakfast cereals). Also, avoid anything cooked using iron cookware.
Step 4
Continue to receive maintenance phlebotomies. According to Merck, once your iron levels have reverted to normal, you will still need to continue to have your iron levels checked. When blood iron levels begin to rise again, you will need to have periodic phlebotomies, in order to keep levels low.
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