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Be Wary Of Iron Overload

It's an inherited disorder called hemochromatosis, meaning simply too much iron in the blood. CBS This Morning's Health Correspondent Dr. Emily Senay reports that it affects about one in 250 people in the U.S., most of them of northern European descent.

It is a condition that is often overlooked or diagnosed too late. Some of the early symptoms, like fatigue or weight loss, can easily be attributed to other problems. In many cases, there are no symptoms at all until the disease has progressed.

The correct diagnosis can be made after a test indicates high iron levels in the patient.

Peter Nordberg had no idea he was at risk until he went in for a physical: "I feel very fortunate that we caught it when we did," he says now. "Now it is something that can be taken care of and controlled. It shouldn't present any problems to me going forward."

Hemochromatosis can be deadly if left untreated. As iron builds up in vital organs like the heart, skin, pancreas, and liver, it can cause cirrhosis of the liver, congestive heart failure, and diabetes.

However, once it's diagnosed the treatment is simple: the patient has to donate blood. A pint of blood is taken weekly for several months until the iron stores are decreased. After that, it's a simple process of monitoring the iron levels. The patient might have to give blood every six months or so.

That's as simple as it can get to treat a disease. The fact of the matter is, it's important that it be caught early because once cirrhosis of the liver sets in, some hemochromatosis patients go on to develop cancer of the liver.

Doctors are urging the government to support more widespread screening. Although it's a condition that affects primarily a white European population, it is not necessarily restricted to that group. The initial blood test to spot the problem is relatively cheap and easy to administer as part of a routine physical.

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