Celtic Curse & Iron Overload

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...