Last Updated: December 29. 2010 1:00AM

Dear Dr. Donohue: I have hemochromatosis — too much iron in the body. My doctor takes blood every other week. what can you tell me about it? What’s the end result?

Dear H.G.: Hemochromatosis (HE-moe-CROW-muh-TOE-siss) is an unpronounceable name with close to zero recognition by the general public.

The sad truth is it is a fairly common condition. It’s one of the most widespread inherited illnesses.

Normally the digestive tract absorbs just enough iron to replace daily losses. People with two hemochromatosis genes — one from the mother and one from the father — absorb far too much iron. The excess is deposited in many organs, like the liver, pancreas, heart, pituitary gland and testes, and severely damages them.

Signs that these organs are in trouble don’t appear until later in life — age 40 for men and older for women, who lose iron from menstruating. Frequently the first indication of trouble is abnormal liver tests, discovered when a person has an exam for some unrelated reason.

If hemochromatosis is discovered early, treatment can begin early and organs are saved. if it goes undiscovered, liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, heart failure, diabetes and skin with a bronzed hue are some of the possible complications.

With early treatment, hemochromatosis patients live a normal life. Treatment is simple. it consists of periodic removal of blood, the body’s storage depot of iron.

Because this is a genetic disease, your close relatives — parents, brothers and sisters — should be screened for it. A genetic test for your spouse will tell you if your children also should have a genetic test. The gene test is a relatively new breakthrough in this illness. it permits early treatment and prevents the complications of the illness.

Dear Dr. Donohue: I have followed the suggestion that we should drink eight glasses of water each day for good health. I recently was diagnosed with low blood sodium. I was told to reduce the amount of water I drink. Shouldn’t we be informed by medical professionals that eight glasses of water a day isn’t necessary?

Dear P.L.: OK. Eight glasses of water a day isn’t necessary. People should drink enough fluids — all fluids count — to keep their urine color pale-yellow and to keep themselves from being thirsty.

You have to drink quite a large amount of fluids, water included, to lower your blood sodium. Did you have any symptoms from your drop in sodium?

I’m not sure where the “eight glasses a day of water” originated or why it did. Water doesn’t flush toxins out of the body as was once thought. It’s a rule that should be discarded.

Write to Dr. Donohue at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Readers may also order health newsletters from rbmamall.com.

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