What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Hemochromatosis?

Hemochromatosis can affect many parts of the body and can cause many different signs and symptoms. Many of the signs and symptoms are similar to those of other, more common diseases. Some people with the hemochromatosis genes may have no signs or symptoms at all.

Signs and symptoms of hemochromatosis usually are not seen until middle age. Men are more likely to develop complications such as diabetes or cirrhosis, and women are more likely to have general symptoms such as fatigue (tiredness). Signs and symptoms also vary based on how far the disease has advanced.

Common signs and symptoms of early-stage hemochromatosis include:

• Fatigue
• Joint pain
• General weakness
• Weight loss
• Abdominal pain
• Palpitations (a fluttering sensation in the chest)

Common signs and symptoms of mid-stage hemochromatosis (as more iron builds up in the body) include:

• Joint damage and pain (arthritis)
• Enlargement of the liver
• Reproductive organ failure (for example, impotence, shrinkage of the testicles, loss of sex drive, infertility, absence of the menstrual cycle, and early menopause)
• Heart problems (for example, chest pain, shortness of breath, and abnormal heart rhythms)

Common signs, symptoms, and conditions of advanced-stage hemochromatosis include:

• Poor liver function (iron overload can lead to cirrhosis, failure, or cancer of the liver)
• A high blood sugar level (glucose intolerance or diabetes)
• Chronic (frequent or repeated) abdominal pain
• Severe fatigue
• Poor hormone production of the pituitary and thyroid glands
• Damage to the adrenal gland
• Heart failure (iron overload can damage the heart muscle, leading to heart failure)
• Changes in skin color (for example, yellowish skin, tan skin not caused by the sun, and reddish palms not caused by use of the hands)