Causes of Diabetes – High Iron

You can go to this sites to find out more:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hemochromatosis/symptoms-causes/dxc-20167290

https://med.virginia.edu/ginutrition/wp-content/uploads/sites/199/2014/04/Hemochromatosis-12.23.14.pdf

Here is some info:

Symptoms What are the Symptoms? Symptoms are due to high serum ferritin levels (1000 to 10,000) in the body. For symptoms to occur, there must be elevated ferritin levels in the blood if not, no symptoms will appear. However, early asymptomatic diagnosis can occur but usually it is the follow-up to the diagnosis of a blood relation. There is not one symptom that particularly relates to haemochromatosis but the presence of on-going symptoms for many years, such as chronic fatigue, joint pains, or bronze colouring of the skin, haemochromatosis should be considered. With advanced disease, the symptoms relate to organ damage that has occurred. Prevention is possible, if a person is diagnosed before significant symptoms arise, organ damage and disease symptoms are entirely preventable by maintaining iron in the normal range. However, a person diagnosed with the condition, should notify all blood relatives so they can be tested for the HFE gene mutations and treated if necessary.

Anyone with disorders including liver disease, cardiomyopathy (weakness of the heart wall), arthritis or impotence should be tested for haemochromatosis. This underlying condition (haemochromatosis) could be causing their secondary illnesses. Prompt treatment can reverse some organ damage and symptoms and prevent further damage. It is unlikely that sufferers will experience every symptom listed but a range of them is highly suggestive of the disorder.

Symptoms include:
Weakness
Lethargy
Chronic fatigue
Abdominal pain
Arthritis; particularly common in the knuckle and first joint of the first two fingers
Diabetes
Liver disorders; enlarged liver, cirrhosis
Sexual disorders; loss of sex drive in both male and female, impotence in men, absent or scanty menstrual periods and early menopause in women
Decrease in body hair
Discolouration or bronzing of the skin
Cardio-myopathy; disease of the heart muscle
Neurological/psychiatric disorders; impaired memory, mood swings, severe irritability, depression.

Most of these symptoms are found in other disorders as well which is another reason for haemochromatosis not being diagnosed as frequently as it occurs.

Chronic fatigue is probably the most common one but it may be ascribed to the after-effects of a viral infection or to psychological causes.

How is hemochromatosis treated?

The most effective treatment for hemochromatosis is to reduce iron in the body by phlebotomy (withdrawal of blood from the arm veins). One unit of blood, which contains 250 mg of iron, usually is withdrawn every one to two weeks. Serum ferritin and transferrin saturation are checked every two to three months. Once ferritin levels are below 50 ng/ml and transferrin saturations are below 50%, the frequency of phlebotomies are reduced to every two to three months. When hemochromatosis is diagnosed early and is treated effectively, damage to the liver, heart, testicles, pancreas and joints can be prevented completely, and patients maintain normal health. In patients with established cirrhosis, effective treatment can improve the function of the heart, skin color, and diabetes; however, the cirrhosis is irreversible and the risk of developing liver cancer remains.

The benefits of therapeutic phlebotomy in hemochromatosis are as follows:
It prevents the development of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer if the disease is discovered and treated early.
It improves liver function partially in patients who have already developed advanced cirrhosis.
It improves and/or completely resolves symptoms of weakness, liver pain, joint pain, and fatigue.
It improves function of the heart in patients with mild and early heart disease.

What are dietary recommendations in hemochromatosis?

A normal balanced diet is recommended without avoidance of iron containing foods provided patients are undergoing effective therapeutic phlebotomy.
Alcohol should be avoided since alcohol consumption increases the risk of developing cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Ingestion of high doses of vitamin C in patients with iron overload may lead to fatal abnormal heart rhythms. Therefore, it is reasonable to avoid vitamin C supplementation until patients are adequately treated.
Raw seafood should be avoided since patients with hemochromatosis are at risk of acquiring bacterial infections that flourish in iron rich environment.

 

 

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

linked to other diseases that occur later in life, such as insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), high blood pressure, and heart disease. – See more at:

http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/treatment-and-care/women/polycystic-ovarian-syndrome.html

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