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Hemochromatosis Testing
November 25, 2009 |
New technological advances are helping physicians get to the bottom of hemochomatosis.
“That’s an iron overload disease where the body absorbs too much iron,” explains
Dr. Lowell Hart, Research Director for Florida Cancer Specialists. Of all the genetic
diseases, hemochromatosis is the most common.
Discoloration of the skin and fatigue are just a few of the many warning signs.
“Fertility problems, males having problems with erectile dysfunction, certainly
any liver disease, any unexplained heart disease, a new on-set of diabetes in adulthood,
and those sorts of things,” he adds.
One way to detect hemochromatosis is through the HFE test. “That’s the gene test.
That’s the name of the gene mutated in most people. You can send a test for iron,
iron in the blood, and you can do a test called TIBC, that’s the transferin that
carries the iron around,” Dr. Hart says. These tests are available locally. “Any
lab can do this. We do this in our lab. Any of the normal labs, the hospital labs
at Lee can all do this.”
It’s important to note that this sort of testing can only be done with a prescription
from your primary physician.
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