reply to post by trekker
to put it simply...
your body reduces its intestinal absorption of iron as stores in the body become 'full'... in haemochromotosis, the gene responsible for 'reducing
the absorption of intestinal iron' is stuffed and the body keeps absorbing large amounts as if the stores were low. Since humans aren't real good at
excreting excess iron, it keeps building up and up and up and up until the protein that carries it through the blood (ferritin) cant hold it anymore
and starts dumping it in tissues... particularly the liver where it for a lack of a better word 'rusts' (oxidizes) causing tissue damage...
hope that helps.
Oh forgot about the rest:
treatment is usually by venipuncture (blood letting) and/or blood transfusions once or twice a year to remove xs iron...
as for other non genetic causes... can't help you, I'm guessing they're largely idiopathic (ie. they don't know)...
[edit on 24-7-2008 by cremedebrocolli]
