Hemochromatosis
Hemochromatosis is a disorder in which the body stores too much iron. Iron is an important nutrient that helps the hemoglobin in blood cells carry oxygen to your body's organs and tissues. Your intestines absorb the iron your body needs from the food you eat. The amount it absorbs is finely calibrated to replace the small amount of iron lost each day.

If you have hemochromatosis, your body absorbs more iron than it uses. The body has no way to remove the extra iron, so it stores it in the joints and organs - especially the liver, heart, and pancreas. The organs cannot manage the overload of iron, and so they can be damaged and may eventually fail.

Who gets hereditary hemochromatosis?
Hereditary hemochromatosis is more common in men and in Caucasians, especially those of Northern European descent, although it can affect other ethnic groups. Symptoms of hemochromatosis usually appear in men between the ages of 30 and 50. Symptoms often do not appear in women until after age 50 or after menopause, most likely because women lose iron from the blood loss of menstruation and childbirth. There is a greater risk of getting hemochromatosis if someone in the family has had it.