Is it Possible to Have Too Much Iron in the Blood?

Dear Ask The Doctor: Is it possible to have too much iron in your blood and what do you do to lower it if you do have too much in your body? Natural food suggestions please.

Dear Marilyn: I understand your concern about iron overload. This entity can be inherited (genetic) or acquired by receiving numerous blood transfusions, getting iron shots or injections, or consuming high levels of supplemental iron, the latter is common in kids.

Some of the signs and symptoms that might be present are chronic fatigue,  joint pain, abdominal pain, liver disease (cirrhosis, liver cancer), diabetes mellitus , irregular heart rhythm, heart attack or heart failure, skin color changes (bronze, ashen-gray green).

The treatment for iron overload is iron reduction therapy. A person's hemoglobin is key in the physician's decision of iron reduction therapy. If the patient's hemoglobin level is sufficient to tolerate blood removal, the doctor can provide either an order for therapeutic phlebotomies or can recommend that a patient routinely donate blood. When a patient's hemoglobin is too low for phlebotomy, iron reduction will likely require be iron chelation using special medications. In some situations the physician may use a combination of these two therapies. I wish you the best.