African iron overload
Iron overload disorder caused by consumption of home-brewed beer / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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African iron overload is an iron overload disorder first observed among people of African descent in Southern Africa and Central Africa.[1] It is now recognized to actually be two disorders with different causes, possibly compounding each other:[2]
- Dietary iron overload is one contributor to iron overloads observed in African people. Home-brewed beer contains very high amounts of iron compared to commercial beer and causes overload. This form was prevalent in both the rural and urban Black African population. With the introduction of commercial beer in urban areas, the condition has decreased. However, the condition is still common in rural areas.[3]
- Bantu siderosis, is the genetic side of the disorder. Some African people carry a unique ferroportin mutation that predisposes them iron overload, making it a kind of ferroportin disease.[4][5] African-Americans, who have no exposure to iron-rich beer, can also exhibit this issue.[2][6]
This disorder can be treated with phlebotomy therapy or iron chelation therapy.[citation needed]