Basal endocrine status in African dietary iron overload.

Endocrine disturbances, notably diabetes, have been well described as a complication of iron overload due to hereditary hemochromatosis and beta-thalassemia. Dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis has also been well documented. The pattern of iron loading in African iron overload with saturated transferrin is similar to that seen in hereditary hemochromatosis.