Celtic Curse & Iron Overload

New research is showing how badly HH impacts quality of life Hereditary haemochromatosis (HH) is one of the most common genetic conditions in people of Northern European ancestry, yet many have never heard of it. In the late 1990s my wife started suffering the effects of HH but was not diagnosed until 2008. Ever since then I have tried to raise awareness of this condition whenever I can.  Unfortunately, in the decade and a half since I created this website (July, 2010), researchers have found that HH may have a greater impact on the health of those who have it than was once thought. This article provides an update on the shifting assessment of HH and shares even more reasons for us all to learn about this potentially disabling and sometimes deadly condition. People with HH inherited certain mutations of a gene called HFE that may absorb more iron than they need. Over time, this "iron overload" can build up in organs such as the liver, pancreas, heart, and joints, resulting in...

St. Patrick's Day has always struck me as a wonderful annual opportunity to raise awareness of the most common genetic illness afflicting people with Irish genes: haemochromatosis, sometimes referred to as 'Celtic Curse' because it puts you at risk of absorbing too much iron and thus damaging vital organs and joints.   Symptoms of genetic haemochromatosis (GH) range from chronic fatigue to joint pain, memory issues, abdominal pain and skin conditions. If not diagnosed and treated in a timely manner GH can lead to very serious long-term health complications and death. GH affects people of all ages and genders. Although some doctors still think of GH as a male condition, women suffer from it too, notably at or after perimenopause and menopause (FYI: in America GH is referred to as HH for Hereditary Hemochromatosis)  St. Patrick's Day 2026 is a particularly good time to raise world awareness of hereditary haemochromatosis because we know more about its Celtic origins than...

Stephen Cobb, who created this website 15 years ago, has published an account of his hemochromatosis journey . It takes the form of an introduction to the problems created by iron overload caused by hereditary hemochromatosis, followed by his response to his partner finding out in 2008 that she had this condition.  That response included this website as well as a Facebook page . We hope you find this helpful and informative.     

This is some impressive work on what genetic screening for what the Brits call Genetic Haemochromatosis (GH). Check out the report that establishes: Screening saves lives, saves money For every £1 spent on screening, over £3 of benefit is generated GH screening would enable earlier diagnosis and treatment of GH Screening has the potential to prevent or reverse much of the current and forecast chronic ill health associated with GH The estimated value of avoided costs of treating chronic health conditions associated with GH is huge A lower incidence of chronic illness (particularly liver disease and osteoarthritis) would also improve the quality of life of people living with GH GH screening is also expected to improve labour force participation amongst working age adults who would otherwise need to take time off or retire early to help manage chronic illness Combined with the reduced need for carers to look after GH patients, the outcome would be greater productivity and economic output ...

A note from Stephen Cobb who launched the CelticCurse.org website in July of 2010 with this headline: The Work Begins Here: Teaching the world about the Celtic Curse. I began that first article with this statement: "The more people know about hemochromatosis, a genetic condition often referred to as Celtic Curse, the fewer will suffer needlessly and die tragically." That statement remains true today, more than 14 years after I wrote it. The effort to fight hereditary hemochromatosis by informing people about this surprising common genetic mutation—and the potentially fatal condition of iron overload that it can create—needs to continue in 2024.  Thankfully, over the last decade a growing number organizations and online efforts have appeared and expanded to reach more and more people. Here are just a few of them, from around the world: Hemochromatosis.org Iron Disorders Institute Haemochromatosis UK The Irish Haemochromatosis Association American Hemochromatosis Society Ca...

Not enough people know this: the most prevalent genetic killer, in America and many "Western" countries, is hereditary hemochromatosis, a condition that's remarkably cheap to treat and may do little damage if detected early enough. Unfortunately many doctors don't know enough about hemochromatosis, and as a result, hemochromatosis often goes undiagnosed, particularly in women, leading to very serious and sometimes irreversible health issues.  The links on this page provide explanations of the hemochromatosis problem, including the particular problem of "hemopause" which is when the symptoms of menopause mask those of hemochromatosis. Let's fight hemochromatosis, the most common genetic killer in the western hemisphere Hemochromatosis + Menopause = Hemopause (and women of a certain age are at risk) What Ernest Hemingway's demise tells us about hemochromatosis

Ernest Hemingway, one of America's greatest writers, died from hereditary hemochromatosis on July 2, 1961. He was one of a number of Hemingways who succumbed to America's most prevalent genetic killer, a condition that is remarkably cheap and easy to treat, and may do very little damage if detected early enough. If you're like me, you were taught in school that Hemingway died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. However, it is clear to many that the underlying cause of his death was iron overload due to hereditary hemochromatosis or HHC, also known as bronze diabetes and Celtic Curse. Why? Hemingway suffered from classic iron overload issues, like liver problems, heart disease, diabetes. Depression and suicide are both associated with hemochromatosis (numerous people on his family tree committed suicide). [The first version of this article was written by Stephen Cobb in 2011. It was revised in 2016 and refreshed more recently to mark World Haemochromatosis Week 2020 , J...

Just a quick diagram to show the connection between menopause and hereditary hemochromatosis. If you enter menopause with active hemochromatosis—i.e. your body has a tendency to accumulate excessive amounts of iron—and you are not aware of this due to the natural protection offered by your periods, then your doctor may miss or dismiss the symptoms of iron overload. Untreated iron overload can cause permanent damage to your health, but if caught early it can be cheap and easy to treat. For more about hemopause, check out  hemopause.org . This diagram was created by Stephen Cobb in 2019, but you are free to reproduce it IF you provide attribution, like this: based on a diagram created by Stephen Cobb.

This is just a quick post to remind folks that the Iron Disorders Institute (IDI) has a ton of information about hereditary hemochromatosis. You will find a lot of useful documents in the library on the IDI website . You can also get their monthly newsletter via email. Here's a link to the latest issue in which Executive Director, Cheryl Garrison, provides a very helpful update on what happens to "hemochromatosis blood"... that's the blood drawn from people with hemochromatosis to reduce excessive iron levels. As the IDI notes, the FDA has published a Final Rule called “Requirements for Blood and Blood Components Intended for Transfusion for Further Manufacturing Use.” Among the many changes included in this Final Rule is "the elimination of the need for a variance if a blood bank will be using blood for a hemochromatosis (HH) patient." For what all that means for folks who are getting phlebotomies to regulate their iron, check out the Iron News . Remember ...

Dear American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics: According to a recent article on GenomeWeb your organization, the ACMG has declared that: "HFE testing shouldn't be ordered for patients who don't have iron overload or a family history of HFE-related hereditary hemochromatosis." Frankly, this is some of the worst medical advice I've ever seen published, it defies the logic of real life, and does so in a way that reinforces a number of medical stereotypes. I invite the ACMG to address the following five realities as they relate to the two limited conditions under which your organization would permit people to find out whether or not they are carriers of a potentially crippling and deadly genetic condition, otherwise know as HFE testing. A. Re: "a family history of HFE-related hereditary hemochromatosis" In your version of reality, how do people know if they have a family history of HFE-related hereditary hemochromatosis (HH)? In the real world, man...

Are you dealing with menopause, or the approach of menopause? Then this blog post is for you. Some women approaching menopause are at risk of absorbing too much iron, resulting in serious joint pain and damage to the liver, pancreas, heart, brain, and other soft tissue. Why? Before menopause, the menstrual cycle gives women a natural defense against excess iron buildup; that monthly loss of blood removes iron from the body. However, this can mask a surprisingly common genetic disease called hemochromatosis in which the body's normal handling of iron is disrupted, leading to a potentially fatal condition called iron overload (it's what killed Hemingway and it's what Tamra Barney's son Ryan has on Real Housewives of Orange County ). This blog post explains the problem and how to defend yourself and the women you love. What is Hemopause? Without that natural monthly loss of blood, undiagnosed hemochromatosis can start causing damage that is hard to detect before it becom...