Many environmental agents, such as excessive alcohol intake, xenobiotics, and virus, are able to damage the human body, targeting especially the liver. Metal excess may also assault the liver. Thus, chronic iron overload may cause, especially when associated with cofactors, diffuse organ damage that is a source of significant morbidity and mortality. Iron excess can be either of acquired (mostly transfusional) or of genetic origin. Hemochromatosis is the archetype of genetic iron overload diseases and represents a serious health problem. A better understanding of iron metabolism has deeply modified the hemochromatosis field which today benefits from much more efficient diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.
Keywords: Ferroportin; Hepcidin; Iron chelation; Iron overload; Labile plasma iron; Lipid peroxidation; Liver fibrosis; Non-transferrin bound iron; Reactive oxygen species; Tumorogenesis; Venesection.