Hereditary Hemochromatosis

Hereditary hemochromatosis is a genetic disorder that causes the body to absorb too much iron from food, most commonly resulting from inherited mutations in the HFE gene. Excess iron gradually builds up in the liver, heart, pancreas and joints, and left untreated it can lead to liver cirrhosis, diabetes, heart problems and arthritis; the disorder is most common among people of Northern European descent and is usually managed by regularly removing blood to reduce iron levels. The link between the disorder and the HFE gene on chromosome 6 was identified by researchers in 1996.