In these individuals absorption of both inorganic and heme iron is increased [43] because basolateral efflux of iron from the enterocytes is inappropriately regulated [44, 45]; most importantly hepcidin levels are very low in patients with hemochromatosis type 1 (mutation of the HFE gene, MIM #235200) [46]. This evidence concerns the gene HFE and hemochromatosis type 1.