On Fri, 22 May 1998, Buji Kern wrote: > Arguing against it being a major factor in HG's is that it takes its > heaviest toll on children, and the tall stature and well developed > skeletons attributed to HG's would be pretty hard to obtain growing up iron > deficient. Actually, Gary Ditta's hypothesis is that hereditary hemochromatosis is a consequence of a partial adaptation to a grain-based diet. Since grains in the diet tend to inhibit the absorption of iron and other minerals, a mutation in the direction of more tenacious storage of iron would be advantageous --- unless one then attempts to return to a diet rich in red meat. HGs would not carry this mutation, so iron overload would not be a problem for them. This probably makes more sense than the bleeding theory. Todd Moody [log in to unmask]