Phlebotomy is still the standard treatment for iron overload. Humans usually regulate iron levels effectively by reducing absorption when iron levels are high,

Phlebotomy is still the standard treatment for iron overload. Humans usually regulate iron levels effectively by reducing absorption when iron levels are high, but there are genetic diseases where this regulation malfunctions, and very high dietary intake (usually from supplements) can overwhelm it. Iron overload affects many different organs so mild cases might not have any obvious symptoms beyond a vague sense of bad health. There has been some research suggesting health benefits to phlebotomy even in patients without obvious iron overload, eg: http://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1741-7015-10-54 http://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1741-7...