On Tue, 6 Feb 2001 09:49:43 -0500, Todd Moody <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > In this >case, it's clear. If you are homozygous for the mutant gene that >causes hemochromatosis, you will have the disease. It doesn't >matter what you eat or how you live, although some diets will >cause problems sooner than others. I'd like to hear about a case of hemachromatosis who is not eating heme iron. Humans have a builtin mechanism which can regulate the intake of iron in the food, but not for heme iron. Heme iron is the sort of iron exclusively found in blood meat, animal products. If there is a gene relatively frequent in humans that creates a disease out of eaten iron (i assume only of heme iron) then 2 cases are possible. 1. the hemochromatosis mutant gene developped only in the last few 1000 years, when people didn't eat much meat. Which races are involved with the disease? Can chinese get it? Can blacks get it? Can native americans get it? or 2. the heme iron intake within the evolution time, while the gene was present was rather low. Low enough that the carriers of the gene were not selected out. > The bloodletting therapy is >simple, inexpensive, and effective. Of course nowhere in evolution artificial regular bloodletting was usual. I think it's safe to assume that in former times a *little* blood was left on occasional small injurings. More that for couch potatoes of today, but certainly less than 1/2 liter regularly. The little blood loss (by injuring) may have been enough to discard a little here iron obtained from occasional red blooded animals. Today even couch potatoe SAD eaters (of some 300g meat per day) are suspect to die of hemochromatosis. Iron overload. So, where and when is the root of the hc-mutant gene? regards, Amadeus