Celtic Curse & Iron Overload

Walking on the beach is riskier for people with high iron levels For many people it's the perfect holiday: head to the seaside, take walks on the beach, eat fresh seafood, maybe wash down a few raw oysters with your favourite beverage. Sadly, these activities prove to be deadly for hundreds of people every year due to an increasingly common saltwater bacteria called  Vibrio vulnificus .  A key factor in fatalities due to Vibrio vulnificus is the anatomy of the patient. The risk of death is much higher in people with diabetes, liver disease, compromised immune systems, or hemochromatosis . That's why I am writing about this on the Celtic Curse blog. If you are suffering from iron overload due to hereditary hemochromatosis (genetic haemochromatosis in some countries), getting infected by the  Vibrio vulnificus  bacteria is truly life-threatening.  Vibrio vulnificus is considered one of the most lethal marine pathogens, causing severe wound infections and...

The 1st to the 7th of June is International Haemochromatosis Awareness Week ! Q.  What is the world's most prevalent genetic killer?  A.  Genetic haemochromatosis, a.k.a. hereditary hemochromatosis or HH for short. Q.   Why is HH a problem? A.   It can cause you body to accumulate too much iron, a harmful condition called iron overload . Q.  Can HH be cured?  A.  No. It is a genetic condition. Q.  Can HH be treated? A . Yes! There are ways to remove excess iron safely, at little to no cost. A person with the genetic defect that causes HH can live a fairly normal, healthy life IF the condition is diagnosed early and treated appropriately. That is why organizations have been formed, all around the world, to advocate for prompt HH diagnosis and proper treatment for all those affected. One of those organizations is Haemochromatosis UK , of which I am proud to be a member now that I live in the UK. When I lived in America I supported Iron Disorder...

New research is showing how badly HH impacts quality of life Hereditary haemochromatosis (HH) is one of the most common genetic conditions in people of Northern European ancestry, yet many have never heard of it. In the late 1990s my wife started suffering the effects of HH but was not diagnosed until 2008. Ever since then I have tried to raise awareness of this condition whenever I can.  Unfortunately, in the decade and a half since I created this website (July, 2010), researchers have found that HH may have a greater impact on the health of those who have it than was once thought. This article provides an update on the shifting assessment of HH and shares even more reasons for us all to learn about this potentially disabling and sometimes deadly condition. People with HH inherited certain mutations of a gene called HFE that may absorb more iron than they need. Over time, this "iron overload" can build up in organs such as the liver, pancreas, heart, and joints, resulting in...

St. Patrick's Day has always struck me as a wonderful annual opportunity to raise awareness of the most common genetic illness afflicting people with Irish genes: haemochromatosis, sometimes referred to as 'Celtic Curse' because it puts you at risk of absorbing too much iron and thus damaging vital organs and joints.   Symptoms of genetic haemochromatosis (GH) range from chronic fatigue to joint pain, memory issues, abdominal pain and skin conditions. If not diagnosed and treated in a timely manner GH can lead to very serious long-term health complications and death. GH affects people of all ages and genders. Although some doctors still think of GH as a male condition, women suffer from it too, notably at or after perimenopause and menopause (FYI: in America GH is referred to as HH for Hereditary Hemochromatosis)  St. Patrick's Day 2026 is a particularly good time to raise world awareness of hereditary haemochromatosis because we know more about its Celtic origins than...