Hepatitis In hemochromatosis, excess amounts of iron accumulate in multiple body sites, including the liver, which can lead to cirrhosis. In Wilson's disease, excess amounts of copper accumulate in the liver and brain, causing cirrhosis and dementia. When the liver is involved, alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency and Wilson's disease tend to present as hepatitis in the neonatal period or in childhood. Hemochromatosis typically presents in adulthood, with the onset of clinical disease usually after age 50. Ischemic hepatitis (also known as shock liver) results from reduced blood flow to the liver as in shock, heart failure, or vascular insufficiency. The condition is most
Copper in health significant percentage of the population are lower than recommended levels. On the other hand, the U.S. National Research Council concluded in its report Copper in Drinking Water that there is concern for copper toxicity in susceptible populations and recommended that additional research be conducted to identify and characterize copper-sensitive populations. Excess copper intake causes stomach upset, nausea, and diarrhea and can lead to tissue injury and disease. The oxidation potential of copper may be responsible for some of its toxicity in excess ingestion cases. At high concentrations copper is known to produce oxidative damage to biological systems, including peroxidation of