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Beth Wallace: Raising Awareness of Hereditary Haemochromatosis
Beth Wallace/bethwallace.org
Jun 4, 2026, 12:43

Beth Wallace: Raising Awareness of Hereditary Haemochromatosis

Beth Wallace, Therapeutic Consultant at Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“Ireland has the highest prevalence of haemochromatosis in the world, a genetic disorder which causes people to absorb too much iron.

Approximately 1 in 83 people in Ireland are at risk of iron overload, and 1 in 5 are carriers of the gene.

Recent research maps the highest genetic risks for the disease to the Ulster area.

Symptoms typically appear between the ages of 30 and 40 as iron slowly builds up in the liver, pancreas, joints, and heart causing:

  • Unexplained, chronic fatigue and weakness
  • Joint pain (particularly in the knuckles and ankles)
  • Abdominal pain
  • Discolouration or ‘bronzing’ of the skin
  • Long-term risks include liver disease, diabetes, and heart problems.

Testing is easy and so is treatment which can then prevent some serious consequences later in life.

A simple blood test, known as an iron panel, checks serum ferritin (SF) and transferrin saturation (TS).

If levels are raised, a specific genetic test is performed.

The most common and effective treatment is venesection (or phlebotomy), which is the therapeutic removal of blood to lower iron levels, much like a standard blood donation.

For those who can donate blood, this can work well as an informal treatment.”

Beth Wallace: Raising Awareness of Hereditary Haemochromatosis

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