A 21-year-old member asked:
What iron levels are considered "suspicious" for iron overload/hemochromatosis?
3 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in

Dr. Gregg Albersanswered
Addiction Medicine 42 years experience
Hemachromatosis: A number of tests are available to check iron levels, and a hematologist or blood disease specialist, will check multiple tests for iron overload. The specialist may also suggest a liver biopsy to check for iron overload.
6.1k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

Dr. Ted Baderanswered
Hepatology 42 years experience
See below: A non-fasting serum iron- transferrin (iron protein) percentage of more than 60% is considered suspicious and should be followed by further work-up.
5.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

Dr. Ed Friedlanderanswered
Pathology 45 years experience
Transferrin sat: Your best screen is transferrin saturation. Many of us think that the current recommendation of 45% or more for women, 50% of more for men miss too many people. If you actually have evidence of liver troubles (elevated SGOT / SGPT, for example), think about getting a serum ferritin. With a family history, get the gene testing to know early.
3.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Similar questions
A 21-year-old member asked:
What are the symptoms of iron overload, hemochromatosis?
2 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in

Dr. Robert Kwokanswered
Pediatrics 34 years experience
Fatigue, aches: A person absorbs iron from foods and oral iron supplements because human bodies require iron. If he has plenty of iron, his body won't absorb as much iron, but he will not stop absorbing iron. That means he can get iron overload by taking too high a dose of iron supplements. Iron overload damages the liver, and causes symptoms of fatigue, weakness, joint pains, abdominal pains, etc...
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 22-year-old member asked:
How serious is iron overload, hemochromatosis?
3 doctor answers • 10 doctors weighed in

Dr. Maritza Baezanswered
Family Medicine 18 years experience
Can be deadly: Over time, excesses of iron build up in major organs such as the heart, liver, pancreas, joints and pituitary. If the extra iron is not removed, these organs can become diseased, causing conditions like diabetes mellitus, irregular heart beat or heart attack, arthritis, cirrhosis of the liver or liver cancer, gall bladder disease, depression, impotence, infertility, hypothyroidism, hypogonadism.
6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 22-year-old member asked:
How common is iron overload/hemochromatosis?
2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in

Dr. Jason Hemminganswered
Gastroenterology 18 years experience
Hard to say: It is impossible to say as there are many causes for iron overlaid and even hhc. For the common c282y homozygotes it has been approximated to be 0.44% in caucasian populations.
6.1k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 21-year-old member asked:
Who is affected by iron overload/hemochromatosis?
2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in

Dr. Jason Hemminganswered
Gastroenterology 18 years experience
C282Y Homozygous: Most commonly seen in those with 2 copies of the c282y genetic mutation of the hfe gene. However there are other defects that may result in hhc. Hemochromatosis may result in iron overload, however not all iron overload is from hemochromatosis.
6.1k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Last updated Jun 5, 2019
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