Iron deficiency affects nearly one in four people worldwide, leading to anemia and the failure to maintain adequate tissue oxygenation, as well as other adverse effects. Research has shown that the gut microbiota plays a significant role in iron absorption and metabolism, and probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics have been studied as potential therapies for iron […]
anemia
Potential of Probiotics in Iron Deficiency
More than two billion people across the globe — primarily pregnant women and young children in developing countries—are deficient in iron, an essential trace mineral. Deficiency can lead to anemia, resulting in the failure to sustain suitable tissue oxygenation and body homeostasis. According to research, the gut microbiota (GM) influences both the absorption and metabolism […]
Iron Supplements Can Mess with Microbes
Iron is the go-to treatment for anemia. Troubling though is the dysbiosis it can cause. Iron favors strains of pathogenic species over more healthful ones. In the genital tract, for instance, Gardnerella vaginalis, Trichomonas vaginalis and Candida albicans require iron for adhesion. Most lactobacilli, which maintain a healthy vaginal ecosystem, do not. And in another example […]