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What Are the Causes of Iron Overload?

Iron overload is a condition that occurs when there is an excess of iron in the body. This condition can cause dangerous complications and, in some cases, can be fatal.

  1. Symptoms

    • Symptoms of iron overload include irregular heart beat, chronic fatigue, joint pain, abdominal pain, hair loss, depression, adrenal function disorders, elevated blood sugar, low sex drive, skin color changes, loss of menstrual cycle and elevated iron levels.

    Causes

    • Numerous blood transfusions, iron injections, high levels of iron supplements and genetic disorders, such as hereditary hemochromatosis, can cause iron overload, according to the Iron Disorders Institute.

    Complications

    • If left untreated, iron overload can cause complications such as hypothyroidism, liver disease, heart attack, heart failure, diabetes mellitus, impotence, infertility, neurodegenerative disease and enlarged heart.

    Treatment

    • The only treatment available for iron overload is iron reduction therapy. This therapy concentrates on therapeutic blood removal, so that the body creates new blood with less iron. The other option is iron-chelation, which will remove the iron from the system without needing to take blood from the patient.

    Prevention/Solution

    • Even in cases where blood transfusions can't be avoided, exercising caution in the amount of iron supplements and iron injections a patient takes may help decrease the chances of iron overload.

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