Iron loading was associated with development of oxidative stress, viz, decrease in tocopherol content and an increase in amount of lipid peroxidation products but only slight, if any, decrease in cytochrome P-450 content. Combinations of iron loading with other stress-inducing treatments (exhaustive physical exercise and hyperoxia) caused marked decreases in cytochrome P-450 content. Thus, a combination of factors favoring development of oxidative stress, but insufficient to exert a damaging effect on the cytochrome P-450-dependent detoxification system when acting alone, may become quite potent when acting in concert.