Women have been told through the years that iron is essential to their good health. Gynecologists and general physicians have recommended the mineral which can be beneficial in small doses. What some people don’t know is that taking too much iron can result in iron overload. More than 1 million Americans have the gene mutation that could lead to iron overload and eventually hemochromatosis, according to The Centers for Disease Control. Iron overload occurs when a person ingests too much iron over a long period of time. This leads to an iron buildup in organs like the heart and liver, which could later result in hemochromatosis.

Hemochromatosis could be life threatening. Most often, people who develop hemochromatosis acquire it genetically, but there are instances where excessive iron overload was the culprit. Non-genetic causes can occur due to complications with other blood disorders, chronic hepatitis and consuming large amounts of iron.

The following are early symptoms of iron overload or hemochromatosis:

• Weakness
• Abdominal pain
• Loss of weight
• Joint pain

If a person’s iron overload or hemochromatosis worsens, they could experience arthritis and shortness of breath. Also, a person can develop related conditions like severe fatigue, glucose intolerance, heart failure, irregular liver function and more. Aside from a person’s diet having too much iron intake, hemochromatosis could be caused by:

• Alcohol consumption
• Infections
• Too much vitamin C intake
• More

If you feel you may have iron overload or hemochromatosis, visit your physician. Your doctor can run a couple of blood tests to diagnose you. If your tests come back positive, you can receive therapeutic phlebotomy. The treatment, which involves removing blood from the body, may seem extreme but the treatments are performed depending on a person’s age, their gender and the severity of their case.