High Iron Symptoms

Excess of anything is not good for our body and this fact is very much true for iron as well. Although dietary iron present in red blood cells plays a crucial role in transportation of oxygen to different organs of the body, too much presence can trigger many health problems. They are discussed below:

Symptoms

Too much iron in blood pushes us towards numerous health issues that vary from emotional disorders like depression to more serious ones related to the heart. Pregnancy is next to impossible in women diagnosed with high iron levels. It is discussed below:

Fatigue
Excess tiredness is one of the most high iron symptoms in women and men. The person may experience depleting energy levels and feel tired all the time, in spite of taking rest. 'Feeling terribly tired' is the most common complaint among people with high iron levels in blood.

Abdominal Discomfort
Exceedingly high levels of iron can also cause abdominal pain. Persistent mild to moderate discomfort has been associated with iron overload. This is an indication that the organs situated in the abdominal area have been affected with high iron levels.

Joint Pain
Too much iron in blood can hurt seriously and its symptoms may manifest in the form of joint pain. With iron levels remaining high for quite some time, it can trigger joint related disorders like osteoarthritis and osteoporosis.

Liver Problems
As the iron levels breach the limit of tolerance, surplus iron gets deposited in various organs including the liver. In case, the treatment is delayed, damage to the liver is inevitable. The person may be diagnosed with liver cirrhosis or enlarged liver.

Heart Diseases
Other than the liver, excess iron can also get deposited in the heart. The heart cannot tolerate this burden of too much iron. Disturbances in heart function such as abnormal heart beats (slow or fast heartbeat) or congestive heart failure (a condition in which the heart is ineffective to pump adequate blood to meet the demands of your rate). If left untreated, high iron levels in blood can block the arteries which may lead to a heart attack.

Changes in Skin Color
Unwanted changes in skin color can also be the result of iron build up in blood. People with high iron levels gradually lose the natural color of their skin. Thus, with excessive build up of iron, the skin may appear bronze or gray.

Diabetes
Too much iron in blood for prolonged period can make the body resistant to insulin, which may lead to diabetes (high blood sugar levels). Insulin is a hormone whose main job is regulate blood sugar levels. However with excess iron, insulin might not be able to control production of glucose (a type of sugar). In other words, the body becomes insensitive to actions of insulin, eventually causing diabetes.

Lowered Sex Drive
Sex is likely to take a backseat in people with high iron levels in blood. Thus, signs of impotency could mean too much iron build up in the body. Excessive iron can make a person look disinterested in having sex.

Hair Loss
Although, dietary iron plays a crucial role in maintaining normal hair growth, surplus iron can trigger hair loss. So, if low iron levels cause hair loss, this outcome also holds true for high iron levels.

Thyroid Problems
Excess accumulation of iron in the body can interfere with the normal functioning of the thyroid gland. It is found that with too much iron, thyroid gland located in the neck is unable to produce hormones in adequate amounts.

Irregular Periods
Abnormally high iron levels can have a negative impact on the menstrual cycle. A period usually lasts anywhere between 21 and 34 days and occurs a maximum of 4 times in a year. However, with iron soaring beyond normal range, the duration as well as occurrence of periods becomes irregular. In other words, menstruation periods occur unexpectedly when iron blood is abnormally high.

High iron symptoms are often diagnosed in patients suffering from hemochromatosis, a condition in which the body develops an unusual ability to absorb large amounts of iron from the food consumed. Treatment in such a scenario involves extracting a specified amount of blood at regular intervals. Other options include taking medications that help to increase removal of iron through urine.