Hemochromatosis

Hemochromatosis is also called “pigmentary cirrhosis”, “tan” or even “tan diabetes”.

Impregnation of all tissues of the body (and especially the liver) with ferruginous pigments (hemofuchsin and hemosiderin) accompanied by more or less significant sclerosis of the parenchymas.

Iron overload which causes damage to the liver, pancreas, glands endocrines and joints and can lead to cirrhosis, heart problems, cancer, diabetes…

Symptoms: intense fatigue (chronic), joint pain, enlarged liver, earthy-looking skin, pain in the hands, loss of libido.

The symptoms are generally diffuse. They appear before 35-40 years of age.

Various causes: constitutional disorder of iron metabolism (primary familial or idiopathic hemochromatosis) and cirrhosis, pellagra, repeated transfusions (secondary hemochromatosis)

When hepcidin, a peptide hormone secreted by the liver to regulate iron homeostasis in the body at the level of intestinal absorption and its hepatic storage is inactive = hemochromatosis sets in.

Inhibitors of iron absorption: coffee, black tea, excess phosphorus and zinc, prolonged cooking of foods, excess isolated insoluble fiber (cereal bran), aspirin, analgesics...

Bifidobacteria to normalize commensal intestinal flora

Eliminate sources of heme iron: meats (especially red) and molluscs (iron available at 25%) and

replace with sources of non-heme iron contained in foods of plant origin (5% bioavailable iron): nutritional yeast, parsley, nettles, lentils, teff, pistachio, alfalfa, apricots, oats, peas…

Do not absorb vitamin C which facilitates the absorption of iron.

To desaturate the body of its iron, practice regular periodic bleeding, 400 to 500 ml per week (such bleeding removes approximately 250 mg of iron). After a certain series of bleedings, the iron level returns to normal and only periodic bleeding allows stability of the iron content.

Perform the blood analysis which allows you to know the saturation coefficient of transferrin. By remaking new red blood cells, the body desaturates iron.

Periodic intestinal hydrotherapy sessions

Milk Thistle (Carduus marianus)