Secondary iron overload

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Secondary iron overload occurs when iron accumulates in the body because people take too many iron supplements, receive a large number of blood transfusions, or have a disorder in which they cannot form red blood cells efficiently.

People often feel weak and tired.
Diagnosis is with blood tests to measure iron level.
Treatment is usually with drugs that bind and remove iron from the body (chelation).

Severe complications are less likely than in people who have hemochromatosis, a genetic disorder that causes iron overload. (See also Overview of Iron Overload.) However, some people develop complications involving the heart, the liver, and endocrine organs.