What is the most common cause of death in the world? It is Hemochromatosis. There are many causes of this disease of excess iron in the body, including heredity, and epigenetic causes such as excess blood transfusions, extreme oral intake of vitamin C (which enhances iron absorption), hematological diseases, and others less commonly known. Iron damages many organs if this condition is not treated, primarily the liver, resulting in oxidative stress, often hepatocellular carcinoma, and death.

HCT can be measured by blood tests, serum ferritin (SF) and the 'anemia profile': TIBC (total iron binding capacity, TIS (total iron saturation), UIBC, ferritin, MCV, MCH, MCHC-these latter three are part of the common CBC describing the appearance of RBCs relative to iron, even in excess. Copper deficiency seen on blood work results in ferroxidases deficiency which then leads to a build up of iron as well. (Credit to an Austrian study.)

The easiest and oldest treatment is still frequent phlebotomy (that is lowering the blood volume which will lower the amount of excess iron in the body) done over the years. There is no set parameter for the amount of iron able to be removed by phlebotomy even today. The common thought is to get the SF down to 300-1000mcg/L and if it holds then no further treatment is needed. If greater than 1000mcg/L, then to use new (unproven) techniques such as giving exogenous sources of hepcidin which is very difficult to obtain or the frequent phlebotomy.

Because this usual technique does not address the cause of the continuous excess iron, the main [other] successful treatment plan has been developed by Shelly Manning. Her book has been used successfully to lower total body excess iron. She understands that the cause of the excess iron absorption is due to poor hepcidin function and availability. Hepcidin Is a peptide hormone that regulates absorption and proper use of iron. It is mainly built by butyrate; but in the hereditary type of HCT, butyrate is not well generated by the gut bacteria. The basis of her program's success her 5 "superstar" nutrients-she found a way to "unstifle" the gut bacteria so when rejuvenated, they would produce butyrate. She describes a "switch" in the HCT person that can then produce the hepcidin from the butyrate. So along with the less iron absorption, she then discovered 3-4 natural chelators to bind the iron that would get it released as waste.

There is a natural production of butyrate from the beginning of the duodenum. It is part of the protective mechanism of that part of the small intestine that is most exposed to the high gastric acid content with food exiting the stomach. Ecological Formulas has Butyrate capsules that could help in this whole process.

Another source is in a product from Life Extension called Keto Brain and Body Boost containing R-3 hydroxybutyric acid calcium, R-3 Hydroxybutyric acid magnesium, and D-beta Hydroxybutyrate.

Her program has stages that she knows must be taken in the correct order. Just because a person can get butyrate from a non-gut bacterial source, does not mean that the whole HCT person will be well off, as she has discovered that iron has damaged many aspects of the organs, including the gut. She feels nothing needs to be added or subtracted from her program. Many independent thinkers find certain things will decrease oxidative stress (the same damage caused by excess iron), and will add that to her program. Often the result is regaining what had been originally lost on her exact program alone; ~2200 mg of iron, just by fasting x 48 hours. She says, "do not mess with success" and I agree.

Sources:

https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/circulationaha.104.496075

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5949916/#:~:text=Hemochromatosis%20is%20caused%20by%20abnormal,may%20be%20hereditary%20or%20acquired

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4342600/