Treatment of Hemochromatosis with Herbal Remedies

Hemochromatosis is a disorder in which too much iron gets accumulated in body. Body needs iron but too much of iron is toxic. When a person has hemochromatosis, his body starts absorbing more iron than needed and body can’t get rid of extra iron naturally. It stores in body tissues like liver, heart and pancreas and without treatment, it causes the organ to fail.

Symptoms

Most of people don’t get any symptoms. But in some cases symptoms appears like in men, symptoms seen between ages 30 and 50. Women often show signs when they’re over 50 or past menopause that may be because they lose iron during menstruation and delivery.

Symptoms of Hemochromatosis Include

• Pain in joints, especially at knuckles area.
• Feeling of tiredness.
• Weight loss due to unexplained reason.
• Color of Skin changes bronze or gray color.
• Belly pain
• Sexual drive gets affected.
• Loss of body hair
• Heart flutter
• Foggy memory

Symptoms of Hemochromatosis when Problems Arises are

• Liver problems, including cirrhosis or scarring of the liver
• Diabetes
• Abnormal heartbeat
• Arthritis
• Erectile dysfunction(trouble having an erection)
• Fatigue
• Weakness

Causes

Hereditary hemochromatosis is caused due to mutation of genes. It controls the amount of iron in body which is absorbed from the food. These mutations are hereditary that is they are passed from parents to children. This is most common type.

Gene Mutations that Cause Hemochromatosis

A gene called HFE is most often the cause of hereditary hemochromatosis.  One HFE gene from is inherited from each of parents. The HFE gene has two common mutations, C282Y and H63D.with the help of Genetic testing we can find these mutations in HFE gene.

• If 2 abnormal genes inherited one can develop hemochromatosis.One can also pass the mutation from parent to child. It’s not necessary that one who inherits two genes develops hemochromatosis.
• If you inherit 1 abnormal gene, you won’t develop hemochromatosis but act as carrier and can pass the mutations to children. But, they wouldn’t get affected or get disease unless children also inherited another abnormal gene from the other parent.

Hereditary Hemochromatosis Include

• Juvenile hemochromatosis. This causes the same problems in adults. But iron accumulation begins at early age but symptoms usually appears between the ages of 15 and 30. This disorder is caused by mutation in the hemojuvelein or hepcidinin genes.
• Neonatal hemochromatosis. In this severe disorder, iron builds up rapidly in the liver of fetus at its developing stage. It is thought to be an autoimmune disease.
• Secondary hemochromatosis. This is not hereditary disease as it is not inherited and is often referred to as iron overload. People with certain types of anemia or chronic liver disease which needs multiple blood transfusion leads to excess iron accumulation.

Types

There are two types of this condition:

1. Primary Hemochromatosis

This type runs in families that is it is hereditary in nature. If you get two genes from each parent then one is at risk of getting diseases.

2. Secondary Hemochromatosis

• Any kind of anemia
• liver disease
• Getting a lot of blood transfusion

Risk Factors

Having two copies of mutated HFE gene

• Family history: First-degree relative likely to develop the diseases.
• Ethnicity: People of Northern European descent are more prone to hereditary hemochromatosis than ethnic background people.
• Sex: Men are more likely to develop disease than women at early age, as women lose iron through menstruation and pregnancy. After menopause or a hysterectomy, the risk for women to develop disease increases.

Complication

• Liver problems such as Cirrhosis of liver that is permanent scarring of the liver – with Cirrhosis increases your risk of liver cancer and other life-threatening complications increases.
• Pancreas problems : Diabetes occurs due to damage of pancreas
• Heart Problems : Excess iron in your heart affects the heart’s ability to circulate enough blood for your body’s needs. This is called congestive heart failure. Hemochromatosis can also cause abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias).
• Reproductive Problems : Excess iron leads to erectile dysfunction (impotence), and loss of sex drive in men and absence of the menstrual cycle in women.
• Skin Color Changes : Deposits of iron changes color of skin to bronze or gray.

Treatment

Planet Ayurveda provides amazing ayurvedic treatment for Hemochromatosis. High iron absorption from the body’s organ is prevented using following herbal remedies. The goal is to reduce your iron levels return to normal.

1. Manjistha Capsules

Manjistha capsules used in hemochromatosis act as blood purifier.
It removes toxins from body. It pacifies pitta doshas that is it reduces excessive heat from of body. It boosts immune system and increase white blood cells. It also works in hypopigmentation of skin. So it is helpful in preventing color changes of skin. It also relives joint pain which occurs mainly in knuckles in hemochromatosis.

2. Gandhak Rasayan

It is used in skin disorders. It keeps skin healthy. It also works in female reproductive system. In hemochromatosis it works in females who has developed hemochromatosis after menopause. It reduces skin discoloration in hemochromatosis.

Dosage:- Two tablets twice or thrice daily with plain water.

3. Green Essentials

It is natural blood builder. It nourishes the cells and helps to maintain healthy immune system. They are rich in vitamin B complex, minerals, iron which is responsible for tissue repair and blood formation. Grapes used in green essential removes toxins like drug deposits, heavy metals and cancer causing agents from liver and blood.

4. Liver Detox Formula

It cures cirrhosis of liver. It helps in purifying blood and also removes various toxins from body. It maintains healthy liver. kutki used in it helps to cure cirrhosis of liver among adults. It acts as anti-oxidant, hepatoprotective and hepatostimulating agent.

Dosage:- Two capsules twice a day, 30 min before and after meals.

5. Navkarshik Churna

It acts as effective blood purifier. It is powerful agent in minimizing uric acid from blood to larger extent. It is helpful in preventing fatty liver and liver cirrhosis. It acts as immune modulator and anti-hepatotoxic in nature. It is also helpful in skin problems and painful joints that occurs in hemochromatosis.

Dosage:- 1 tsp. twice daily after meals with plain water.

So these formulation helps to boost immune system, and acts as blood purifier. It is also helpful in skin problems.