Iron overload

[Guest guest]

> Both my brother in law and a friend have had too much iron in their

blood on

> random blood testing and I was wondering what the Vaidyas would

offer to

> reduce this - all allopathy comes up with is blood letting which seems

> rather medieval to me.

 

 

 

Ordinary iron overload must be distinguished from Hemochromatosis.

Hemochromatosis is a hereditary disease, and there are not many things

that can be done about it. Non-hereditary iron overload is a

condition that is becoming more prevalent; it is mainly caused by some

kind of liver disease. Iron overload is a serious problem no matter

what the cause and everything possible should be done to correct it or

at least reduce the load to the extent possible. The body does not

have much capacity to remove excess iron, but there is scope in

traditional practices to help. The incidence of non-hereditary iron

overload is much more common than Hemochromatosis. There are other

issues that can cause liver problems like other inherited conditions

like, Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, Wilson disease (copper

overload), galactosemia, and glycogen storage diseases, all interfere

with the way the liver produces, processes, and stores enzymes,

proteins, metals, and other substances. Cirrhosis is a major issue,

from whatever cause, but remember that one might have serious liver

malfunctions long before overt cirrhosis is detected. Biliary duct

obstructions, mainly Ama accumulations in the ducts can be causes or

contributing factors. TCM refers to these liver malfunctions as hot

water stagnations in the liver with phlegm. This in itself gives us

clues as far as therapeutics and medicines are concerned.

 

First the case should be diagnosed, in other words one should

determine what is the cause of the problem, because the therapeutic

approach might be different in different cases, although all cases of

iron overload have similar issues that must be examined. If the

patient is taking excess iron supplementation then obviously this will

have to be stopped. One factor in that regard that is sometimes over

looked, is that if there are liver problems then very high iron

containing foods must be controlled, such as prunes, figs, dark green

leafy vegetables, seaweed, red meat, heart, or liver. But intake of

excess iron is not the major cause of non-hereditary iron overload.

The major cause as I said is liver disease of some sort. This should

be looked at first. Taking standard liver enzyme tests, bilirubin, and

Hepatitis antibody tests will reveal the possible nature of the liver

disease. Since chronic taking of liver damaging substances like

alcohol and certain drugs, including analgesics and marijuana, are

common causes of liver damage then these must be ruled out. If someone

is a chronic substance abuser then this will automatically give clues

to causes but often substance abuse is a cofactor.

 

There is an epidemic of Hepatitis throughout the world, the WHO

estimates that there are 170 million people who are infected with the

Hep C virus, another 350 million infected with Hep B, with close to 8

million new infections each year with these two viruses. Also because

of worldwide travel and interaction the incidence of HAV, HDV, and

HEV, statistics are rising. HAV is a common cyclical disease, and is

endemic in many places in the world, including here in Kerala.

Although HAV is seen by many as not being a serious disease in most

people, in reality it causes lifetime problems even after the

infection has resolved. These facts should make a clinician alert to

these cases, especially since for a large percentage of individuals

there are no elevated enzymes. After HAV most patients will have liver

enzymes return to normal, and in the case of HBV and HCV the overt

signs of the disease often do not come on for many years. Many cases

of HCV infection are only detected 20 to 40 years after infection but

this does not mean the patient has not been suffering symptoms. I

believe that a large percentage of cases that are often diagnosed as

CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) are actually chronic HCV and HBV. If

the enzymes or bilirubin are elevated or there are antibodies to HAV,

HBV, or HCV then we can assume this is the problem and it will explain

the high iron.

 

If there are no elevated liver enzymes (AST and ALT) and or bilirubin

or Hepatitis antibodies then we have to suspect Hemochromatosis. The

standard tests to start with are total iron binding capacity and

transferrin saturation. Or the more expensive HFE gene mutation test

can be given; HFE gene mutations are the cause of Hemochromatosis.

These tests can be ordered in the Internet for USA patients.

 

http://www.healthcheckusa.com/lab_tests/Hemochromatosis/Hereditary_Hemochromatos

 

http://www.healthcheckusa.com/lab_tests/Hemochromatosis/Iron_Profile

 

An inexpensive test that one can take to measure liver enzymes,

bilirubin, and iron as well as many other parameters is a CBC test.

This can also be ordered in the Internet for USA citizens.

 

http://www.lef.org/newshop/items/itemLC381822.html

 

These tests, of course, are not needed by traditional practioners

since they can diagnose the imbalances from the signs and symptoms,

correcting them as they are found. Although, I do believe that

Hepatitis antibody tests are useful since they will indicate a chronic

condition which will take constant monitoring for life.

 

After the diagnosis has been made then the options are simple. Since

it is very difficult to reduce iron loads naturally especially if the

cause is Hemochromatosis then the major option is Phlebotomy,

therapeutic blood removal. This is not expensive if done through your

local blood bank; in fact they will pay you for your blood if you do

not have Hepatitis or HIV antibodies, in which case you cannot donate

blood. If you do have these antibodies then it will be necessary to

get a prescription from a MD to get the Phlebotomy. Usually it is much

cheaper to get the Phlebotomies from the blood bank than to have them

done in a doctor's office. If one has Hemochromatosis one will have to

get periodic Phlebotomies throughout life. Traditional medicine like

modern medicine does not have any cure for Hemochromatosis, but the

symptoms can be controlled in many cases by management of the other

problems. There is no reason to be afraid of Phlebotomies, in fact

there is a theory that periodic Phlebotomies are good for health,

based on two concepts. One is that drawing blood removes many toxins

from the body, not just iron, but also heavy metals, hydrocarbons,

toxic acids, etc. The other theory is that it stimulates and

invigorates the blood by activating RBCs; RBCs and bone marrow

functions become sluggish in thick, acidic, Ama laden blood. Dr Kumar

tells me that in his anti-aging support group in California, several

members get Phlebotomies twice a year. The measurement to use to

determine if one needs Phlebotomies to reduce high iron loads, is a

hematocrit level over 40; bring it down to around 36 to 38. Do not go

lower as is sometimes recommended, since it is not necessary or

desirable. Anemia has its own complications.

 

In the case of liver infections and other ordinary liver stagnation

states natural therapies are very effective. All standard liver and

blood cleansing therapies and medicines must be given; if grahni roga

is present it must be addressed since this is a major cause of liver

and blood problems. Ama must be broken. Virechana is essential along

with internal and external Snehana, which is very useful because the

iron is often stored in many places in the body as a component of the

excess acids and Ama. If a proper Virechana is achieved and the Pitta

is seen in the end (a beautiful gold fluid) which will come after the

Vata (gas and foam) and the Kapha (clear water and white mucus) then

better liver function will surely be the result. Light cleansing diet

should be followed. When the blood and liver are cleaned up the liver

will be better able to deal with the excess iron. Two months after

Shodhana therapies and after taking liver medicines, if the iron load

remains high, go for one or two Phlebotomies, if hematocrit is above

40. In these cases if the liver functions are improved it is usually

not necessary to continue the Phlebotomies. Unless there is Cirrhosis,

which might mean the Liver may never be efficient enough to properly

metabolize iron. Any one who has chronic liver disease will have to

be careful to keep the stagnations, infections, and inflammations

under control for the whole life. This includes the patients of

Hemochromatosis, since the cleaner and more efficient the liver and

blood are, the better the liver and kidney functions, thus iron

metabolism will be as efficient as is possible to achieve. Still, for

the patients with Hemochromatosis and extensive scarring in the liver,

blood draws may be necessary for life. Even if it is Hemochromatosis

or the scars and fibrosis are not to bad, then these patients can be

managed very well, and major complications can be avoided.

 

Liz