Excessive iron absorption. Light micrograph of a section through tissue showing haemochromatosis, a physiological disorder where excessive amounts of iron are absorbed by the body. It is an inherited disorder caused by a genetic defect. The excess iron is stored in body organs, and will eventually damage them. Diagnosis early in life is needed to prevent this organ damage. Treatment is by removal of the excess iron by bloodletting, as the blood is the body's largest store of iron. Magnification unknown.