What are the symptoms and signs of hemochromatosis?
Patients with early hemochromatosis have no symptoms and are unaware of their condition. The disease may then be discovered when elevated iron blood levels are noted by routine blood testing. In men, symptoms may not appear until 40-50 years of age. Iron deposits in the skin cause darkening of the skin. Since females lose iron through menstrual blood loss, they develop organ damage from iron accumulation 15 to 20 years later than men on average. Iron deposits in the pituitary gland and testicles cause shrinkage of the testicles and impotence. Iron deposits in the pancreas cause a decrease in insulin production resulting in diabetes mellitus (please read the Diabetes Mellitus article). Iron deposits in the heart muscle can cause heart failure as well as abnormal heart rhythms. Iron accumulation in the liver causes scarring of the liver (cirrhosis) and an increased risk of developing liver cancer. For further information on the consequences of cirrhosis, please read the Cirrhosis article
