Overview of Iron Overload (Hemosiderosis; Hemochromatosis) By James Peter Adam Hamilton, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Reviewed / Revised Sep 2022 View Patient Education Topic Resources Overview of Hemochromatosis Typical adults lose about 1 mg iron (Fe) per day in shed epidermal and gastrointestinal cells; menstruating females lose on average an additional 0.5 to 1 mg / day from menses.