Iron toxicity (Hemochromatosis) | Medtick
Medtick

Iron toxicity (Hemochromatosis)

What is it?

When one has too much iron in their body.

Hemochromatosis has been separated into five distinct disorders:

Cause

Vitamins, herbal and minerals

  • Increased iron ingestion
  • Increased ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) digestion

Symptoms

  • General discomfort (muscle weakness), uneasiness or ill feeling (malaise) and/or fatigue (tiredness) ?
  • Abdominal pain and/or are constant violently vomiting or vomiting longer than two days (one day if a child)?
  • Increase thirst, heavy sweating and need to urinate frequently?
  • High blood glucose levels?
  • Joint pain and stiffness?
  • Blistering of the skin (porphyria cutanea tarda) when the skin exposed to the sunlight?
  • Bronze coloured skin?
  • Abdominal heaviness, swelling in abdomen and liver area?
  • Lump appear on left hand side of abdomen due to the spleen swelling?
  • Heart palpitations and/or irregular heartbeats?

Nail changes:

Male:

Complications /Information to beware of/General tips:

Medical Emergency Condition

And/or do not wait, call for an ambulance if have or develop:

Iron poisoning

  • Stage 1 (within 6 hours after the overdose), symptoms include:
    • Vomiting blood
    • Abdominal pain
    • Diarrhoea
    • Irritability
    • Drowsiness
    • If poisoning is very serious, rapid breathing, a rapid heart rate, coma, unconsciousness, seizures, and low blood pressure may develop.
  • Stage 2 (6 to 48 hours after the overdose): The person’s condition can appear to improve.
  • Stage 4 (2 to 5 days after the overdose):
    • The liver fails, and people may die from shock, bleeding, and blood-clotting abnormalities.
    • Sugar levels in the blood can decrease.
    • Confusion and sluggishness (lethargy) or coma may develop.
  • Stage 5 (2 to 5 weeks after the overdose):
    • The stomach or intestines can become blocked by scars.
    • Scarring in either organ can cause crampy abdominal pain and vomiting. Severe scarring of the liver (cirrhosis) can develop later.

Too much iron in the body can cause:

This condition can lead to:

  • Addison disease
  • Diabetes (Type 3c)-  a type of diabetes that develops when another disease causes damage to the pancreas.
  • Calcium Pyrophosphate deposition disease (pseudogout)
    • A form of arthritis that results from deposits of calcium pyrophosphate crystals.
    • Commonly affects knees and wrists.
    • Similar symptoms to gout:
      • Sudden intense joint pain
      • Swollen joint is warm and tender to touch
      • Red skin involving the affected joint
    • It can mistaken for arthritis attack and osteoarthritis

Diet

  • A low iron diet is not sufficient to prevent or treat haemochromatosis.
  • Iron fortified breakfast cereals and large doses of vitamin C should be avoided and consumption of offal and red meat should be reduced.

This condition may show similar symptoms to:

Please talk to your healthcare professional (i.e. Medical Doctor/Pharmacist) for further advice

Detailed Information

Please copy and paste any key words from the title: Iron toxicity (Hemochromatosis) in the following respective 'Medtick References and/or Sources' to find out more about the disease (this also may include diagnosis tests and generic medical treatments).

  • Medical News Today

    Medical news and health news headlines posted throughout the day, every day.

  • Medscape (Professional level)

    Latest medical news and expert commentary in your specialty as well as disease information.

  • Healthline

    Medical Information and health advice you can trust

  • EveryDay Health

    Wellness inspired. Wellness enabled.

  • Pharmaceutical Journal (Professional level)

    The Pharmaceutical Journal covers analysis, features, opinion, learning and careers articles, providing insight and knowledge about drugs, pharmacy practice, medicines use and healthcare policy in the context of the pharmacy profession and pharmaceutical science.

  • NHS

    Find information and advice on health conditions, symptoms, healthy living, medicines and how to get help (British National Health Service).

  • WebMD

    Better Information. Better Health.

  • Cleveland Clinic

    Pushing the Standards of care.

  • Mayo Clinic

    No.1 Hospital in the Nation (America)

  • Drugs.com

    Know more. Be sure.

  • National Organisation of Rare Diseases

    NORD is dedicated to supporting education, elevating care, advancing research, and driving policy for rare diseases.

  • Verywell Health

    Know more. Fell better.

  • Nathnac

    Travel health guidance for health professionals advising travellers and for travellers going overseas from the UK.

  • DR Axe

    Health and fitness news. Recipes, Natural Remedies

  • Better health - NHS

    Healthy changes start with little changes. Whether you want to lose weight, drink less alcohol, get active or quit smoking, you have access to lots of free tools and support through Better Health. You can also find simple ways to lift your mood with Every Mind Matters.

    There has never been a better time to kickstart your health. Let’s do this!

Medtick

© Medtick - 2026. All Rights Reserved.