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Cameron spent his 20s on the road: long tours with his band, late nights, and almost no doctor’s visits. By 35, things looked different.

He was working construction with his family in Texas. Weightlifting after work. Feeling completely fine.

I had never had any major health issues. Nothing that felt concerning.

But his brother had just joined Function and encouraged him to do so too.  

Cameron decided to sign up. Mostly to make his brother happy. And because of 1 particular number.

He was just running his mouth about his Biological Age. I wanted mine to be lower than his.

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A condition he had never heard of

Cameron's results came in one by one. Most of the insights were mild. Eat more of this or cut back on that. 

Then his Iron tests arrived.

His Ferritin was 500. The upper limit of the reference range for men is 380 ng/mL. His iron was 253 mcg/dL, well beyond the high end of the typical range. His Iron % Saturation was 96%, when the range is usually 20% to 48%.

“I saw the numbers, but I didn’t really react."

The insights from his results pointed to something called hereditary hemochromatosis. A term he had never encountered before.

I started Googling it. I found out it's a genetic condition where your body just stores iron.

In most people, the body closely regulates Iron absorption and storage. This is important because the body doesn’t have a natural way to get rid of excess iron. In people with hemochromatosis, the body absorbs and stores too much iron. . Iron can accumulate quietly in organs like the liver, heart, and pancreas. 

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No symptoms. No pain.

Cameron felt completely normal. No fatigue. No joint pain. No obvious indication that anything was wrong.

That's what makes hemochromatosis dangerous. Symptoms can be vague or appear late, so significant damage can build up before it’s recognized. When symptoms do appear, many patients wait years before anyone identifies the root cause.

But Cameron now had deeper lab testing through Function.

And his results provided early insights.

He found a primary care doctor, pulled up his Function results on his phone, and waited.

I didn’t know how he’d react or if he’d trust it. But he was amazed by it and said it was something he might start recommending himself.

The numbers that gave him comfort

The diagnosis was unsettling.

But the full picture mattered just as much.

Despite elevated Iron levels, Cameron’s liver markers were completely normal.

Ferritin levels above 1,000 ng/mL increase the risk of complications like cirrhosis, or liver scarring. Cirrhosis can also increase liver cancer risk.

Cameron’s Ferritin was still at 500 ng/mL.

A meaningful treatment

There’s currently no cure for hemochromatosis.

A key treatment is simple but relentless: phlebotomy, regular blood removal, for life.

Cameron now donates blood every 3 weeks under medical supervision. Each session removes about 200 to 250 mg of iron, the equivalent of 40 to 50 steaks. 

His Ferritin has already dropped from 500 to 204. The goal is to be under 100. After that, he’ll move into a maintenance phase with just a few donations per year.

It’s annoying. I’m getting poked constantly. But honestly? I feel exactly the same as before.

What he didn't expect was how meaningful the treatment would feel.

“In the process of dealing with my own issues, I get to help other people who are in need of blood because they're able to take that and use it."

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“You don’t know what you don’t know”

Because it’s genetic, Cameron’s diagnosis doesn’t stop with him. It raises questions for his parents. His family. Even his friends.

I’ve been pushing them hard to just get tested. If something’s there, you want to catch it early.

So he tells everyone: Don’t wait for symptoms.

You don’t know what you don’t know. Just because you feel fine doesn’t mean everything is fine. At best, you confirm you’re healthy. At worst, you catch something early enough to actually do something about it.

After taking care of his iron, Cameron's attention could finally move to another number. His Biological Age.

His brother came in at 32. Cameron landed at 30.6.

On the retests, his brother dropped to 30. Cameron hit 25.

"I beat him both times. I'm pretty pleased."

Get insights from 160+ lab tests. Join Function.

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