What can be done when there too much iron in your blood?

Answer 1

There is a disease called hemochromatosis. Your physician should evaluate you for this. There is treatment available.

Stop taking any supplements containing iron and eating less iron-rich foods, until the body manages to get rid of the excess iron.

Answer 2

Haemochromatosis (see Wikipedia), liver diseases,... Mostly genetic, with certain racial proclivities, but most anaemias are actually iron-loading. Most males have too much iron in their blood, which is a factor conducive to heart attack. Probably, in robust times, bleeding wasn't always such a bad idea. It is still done for those with haemochromatosis. The problem is that iron is stored in the body, and difficult to eliminate. Especially the more easily absorbed heme iron from diets rich in meat. Cooking acidic foods in iron pans can result in hyperferraemia (excess iron). Multi vitamin/mineral tablets for men are now made, containing no iron. One should never take iron tablets without a serum blood test; it is no more a 'wonder food' than say magnesium or calcium. There are good plant sources, and whilst soils may have too much or too little, supplementation should not normally be necessary.

Answer 3

If your body has too much iron, it can cause nausea, vomiting, damage to the lining of the intestinal tract, shock, and liver failure. Those people that have a genetic disorder that causes chronic iron storage have blood taken from their bodies to cut the amount of iron in their bodies.

Answer 4

Iron plays an important role in our bodies. It is a key component in hemoglobin, which is the protein in red blood cells which makes it possible for us to carry such high amounts of oxygen to our tissues. Without it, we would never have been able to evolve past multi-cellular organisms into the complex beings we are today. That said, there are not too many causes of too much iron (by which I am assuming you mean a high concentration of hemoglobin, but I will answer both questions).

Too much iron: iron supplements, hemochromatosis, repeated blood transfusions, overdose on iron supplements.

Too much hemoglobin: overzealous blood transfusion, severe dehydration, hypoalbuminemia, certain bone marrow diseases which cause overproduction of red blood cells such as polycythemia vera, living at high altitudes, smoking.

There are other causes, but these are probably the most common of them.

Answer 5

Too much iron in your blood is dangerous. It can cause death.