What are the risk factors for hemochromatosis?
Alcohol. Because alcohol is an independent toxin to the liver, liver disease may be present earlier due to the combined
effects of alcohol and iron.
Diet. People who take vitamin supplements that contain iron, or take vitamin C, which increases the body's effectiveness at absorbing iron, may have symptoms at a younger-than-average age.
Gender. Men are twice as likely to go to their doctor with symptoms of hereditary hemochromatosis than women. In untreated men, symptoms usually begin between age 40 and 60. For women, the symptoms usually start later, between age 50 and 65. One reason is that women have regular episodes of blood loss through menstruation or childbirth.
Blood loss. Individuals who lose iron through blood donation may also delay the onset of symptoms.
Mutation type. There are two common mutations in a gene called HFE, which is known to cause hereditary hemochromatosis. One of these two mutations, H63D, is associated with a less severe and later onset form of hemochromatosis. People who have one or two copies of this mutation have a milder form of the disease compared to people who have two copies of the other common mutation. |
