How many people have hemochromatosis?
In the United States more than one million people have the gene mutation that can cause hemochromatosis; this gene mutation is most common among people whose ancestors came from Europe. Not all people with this gene mutation develop iron overload, and not all people with iron overload develop the clinical signs and symptoms of hemochromatosis.
It is estimated that 1 in every 200 – 500 people in the United States has hereditary hemochromatosis…about 1 million people. Whites of northern European descent are at highest likelihood of being affected, and men are more commonly affected than women, who may be protected by iron loss through menstruation and pregnancy.
