forms over millions of years in the pore spaces of sedimentary rocks from remains of ocean-dwelling phytoplankton; over time it migrates upward toward the highest point in the porous rock because it is less dense than the rock.
Hereditary hemochromatosis (hee-muh-kro-muh-TOE-sus) is a genetic disease that causes the body to absorb and store too much iron. Iron is an important nutrient that our bodies get from food.
Hereditary hemochromatosis is an autosomal recessive disorder that disrupts the body's regulation of iron. It is the most common genetic disease in whites. Men have a 24-fold increased rate of iron-overload disease compared with women.