Symptoms of Hemochromatosis

Joint pain is the most common complaint of people with hemochromatosis. Other common symptoms include fatigue, lack of energy, abdominal pain, loss of sex drive, and heart problems. Symptoms tend to occur in men between the ages of 30 and 50 and in women over age 50. However, many people have no symptoms when they are diagnosed.

If the disease is not detected early and treated, iron may accumulate in body tissues and may eventually lead to serious problems such as

• arthritis
  
  
• liver disease, including an enlarged liver, cirrhosis, cancer, and liver failure
  
  
• damage to the pancreas, possibly causing diabetes
  
  
• heart abnormalities, such as irregular heart rhythms or congestive heart failure
  
  
• impotence
  
  
• early menopause
  
  
• abnormal pigmentation of the skin, making it look gray or bronze
  
  
• thyroid deficiency
  
  
• damage to the adrenal gland

source: http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/hemochromatosis/index.htm