I have had a few letters come in during recent months asking about how an overload of iron in the blood can cause certain problems. Some of them ask about blood pressure and some are strictly regarding erectile dysfunction.

While women typically aren’t diagnosed with Hereditary Hemochromatosis until after menopause (the monthly period process helps eliminate excess iron), men will usually find a diagnosis between the ages of 40 and 60.

So what is Hemochromatosis? Simply put, it is a genetic problem that causes the body to absorb too much iron from the digestive tract. The liver is compromised due to the overload and then you wind up with a host of ugly symptoms that include:

• Fatigue
• Joint pain
• Breathing problems
• Skin abnormalities (having a bronzed-like pallor)
• Problems with pancreas function
• Increased risk of cancers of the liver, bowel, and pancreas
• Because of the affect on pancreas, Diabetes is frequently a secondary condition as a result
• Vascular abnormalities and problems
• Impotence
• Sterility (in both males and females)
• Loss of libido

Data at various sites list Hemochromatosis as the single most common genetic disease in the world today, particularly affecting those with Celtic ancestry the most. By the way, May is Hemochromatosis Screening Month so talk to your doctor about getting screened if you haven’t been.

It affects upwards of 40 million people in the US alone, but many people don’t know they even have it.

Before the very worst of the symptoms and indirect disease processes such as Diabetes and cancer are introduced, one may find that it is the ‘nuisance’ symptoms that are extremely unsettling and life-changing, even if they are not life-threatening.

Fatigue and joint pain are enough to cause a relatively healthy middle-aged man or woman to feel older than he or she should. But add to that an assault on libido and sexual performance and you have essentially seen the battle lost of feeling strong and youthful.

While there have been studies done on the relationship between ED and HH, they are not conclusive enough to be able to state scientifically that HH has caused ED. However, men with both conditions would likely disagree.

When considering the physiology of how an iron overload affects the function of certain organs and processes, it is completely obvious that obtaining an erection (a largely vascular process) would likely be negatively affected.

Adding fatigue and pain in the body elsewhere is also going to contribute to the inability to achieve erection. The process is every bit as mental as it is physical. Starting a negative cycle in the psyche through performance anxiety, fatigue, and worries about pain in the body can spell certain doom.

Because it is a genetic condition, there is no way to turn off the “switch” that is causing the iron overload. The best thing to do is to stop ‘feeding’ the problem.

Common treatments for HH today include phlebotomy (bloodletting, as with donation), chelation, and in extreme cases as with liver failure, liver transplant.

But there are natural steps that can and should be taken first that can help to avoid the more intrusive alternatives.

First, throw out any vitamins in the cabinet that include iron or Vitamin C. For people who don’t have HH, they should probably be supplementing with iron, and Vitamin C is needed for the absorption of it much the same way that calcium needs Vitamin D. But for HH sufferers, this adds more fuel to a fire you are trying to put out.

Because your iron levels are hard to control, your response to infection will be as well. So toss the idea of eating uncooked meats, eggs, or seafood…especially shellfish. Now would be a good time to look into a vegan diet…you’ll likely find you have more energy and less joint pain if you eliminate the red meat, anyway.

Stop drinking. Your liver is already being assaulted by a genetic process you can’t control. You CAN control what goes in your drinking glass. Replace your favorite spirit or pilsner with water and you’ll find your performance will improve as well.

Add some ginseng. This little wonder-herb has been shown to improve not only memory and energy, but it has also shown benefits that improve erectile performance. Its effects on helping the vascular processes and nerve function have made it the top-selling supplement in the country for many years.

Before you ask your doctor for a pill to treat ED…a pill that will likely insult your liver further, put you at risk for unsafe blood pressure drops and will cost you dearly in the pocketbook, consider first doing the items mentioned above.

Consider also grabbing a copy of a cookbook or two that are geared specifically for people with HH. I found several in a quick Internet search of HH complications and I wasn’t even looking for cookbooks, so it shouldn’t be hard to locate one or two you can use.

Finally pay some attention to your anxiety levels and try to find natural ways to overcome the mental side of what’s stopping your performance. For a comprehensive plan to naturally overcome ED with easy exercises that build up the mental and physical aspects of attaining an erection, see my ED Mastery program today.

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