Iron overload, usually caused by the genetic condition hereditary hemochromatosis, can cause a wide number of health issues, but this study sheds light on its impact on the brain.
Research has been conducted by the researchers based on the studied data gathered by the UK Biobank to see if hereditary hemochromatosis and the subsequent iron overload had an impact on the brain. In the study, it was observed that some people with two copies of the HFE gene mutation, meaning they would have hereditary hemochromatosis, had iron buildup in the brain. While studying the iron deposition seen in the brain's motor circuits. The researchers concluded that the iron buildup in the brain was linked to a higher risk of developing movement disorders.
According to a new study, the iron buildup in the brain may have a higher risk of developing movement disorders like Parkinson's disease But interestingly, the increased risk for movement disorders was only present in males. However, this isn't too surprising, as the iron buildup in males will almost always be more severe due to the lack of mensuration.
These findings hold implications for the further extent of how hereditary hemochromatosis and iron overload can impact the body and how they can lead to movement disorders. But even more importantly, the importance of the findings for medical purposes is especially notable because they can be applied immediately - after all, the safe and approved treatments for iron overload already exist.
Usually overloading iron in the brain is caused by the genetic condition hereditary hemochromatosis, and develops a wide number of health issues. The findings of this study were published in the peer-reviewed academic journal JAMA Neurology. Before explaining hereditary haemochromatosis, it's important to understand the role of iron in the human body.
Iron is an essential mineral that the body needs to function, and it is especially prevalent in the human blood. This, in turn, is why the level of iron in the body must be balanced and controlled. The exact amount of iron needed in the body can vary, but it usually tends to be just 4-5 grams of iron, with 2.5 being used to bring oxygen into the blood and the rest being used in cells throughout the body, especially the liver, spleen and bone marrow - the former of which is where the primary iron reserve storage.
Much research has already been conducted on what happens when iron levels in the body are too low, which is known as iron deficiency, something that is generally more common among those who menstruate due to the loss of blood.
Further, there is also a significant amount of research that has been done on how to compensate for this, which can be done in the form of iron supplements or making sure one's diet contains a necessary amount of iron. Indeed, food is the main source of iron. But less well-known, especially among the general public, is that it is also possible for the body to have too much iron, which is known as iron overload or hemochromatosis. This can happen in a few days, such as repeated blood transfusions, too much dietary iron, or too many iron supplements. But hereditary hemochromatosis is the most well-known means for this to happen. This condition is genetic and is linked to a specific gene, the HFE gene, and is most common among those of Celtic descent. Both parents would need to have the gene for it to manifest as the condition, similar to other genetic conditions like Tay-Sachs disease.
Hereditary hemochromatosis essentially causes the body to absorb far too much iron from food, increasing the amount of iron in the body. Unlike iron deficiencies, which can be solved by simply having more iron, iron overloads are harder to solve because humans don't actually have a way to release the excess iron outside of menstruation and pregnancy. In fact, the ability of menstruation and pregnancy to release excess iron from the body is why symptoms appear in people who menstruate much later than in others, really only appearing after menopause.
However, according to the study, symptoms tend to appear late across the board, with males on average only showing symptoms after the age of 40 and females after the age of 60. When undergoing iron overload, the iron will accumulate in the body, often in the liver, skin, heart, thyroid, pituitary gland, and more. This, in turn, is linked to numerous other symptoms and diseases. These include, but are not limited to:
· Joint
and abdominal pain
· Liver
cirrhosis
· Liver
cancer
· Arthritis
· Diabetes
· Severe
fatigue and weakness
· The
skin turning bronze or gray color
· Abdominal
pain
· Lack
of sex drive
· Liver
failure
· Heart
failure
· Erectile
dysfunction and sexual impotence
· Memory fog
Considering how many of these conditions can be life-threatening, treating hereditary hemochromatosis is very important.
Treatment- Blood donation under consultancy with your doctor is the best treatment as any iron overload can simply be prevented by getting phlebotomy (essentially bloodletting, just safely getting rid of blood in comparable amounts to a blood donation) on a regular periodic basis - sometimes just a couple of times a year. Apart from that medications also exist, and diets used to limit iron intake can help as well.
