How gut imbalances cause iron anaemia
Gut dysbiosis or imbalances – particularly overgrowths of gram-negative bacteria that release harmful LPS or endotoxins – can trigger a cascade of events leading to the blockage of hepcidin and iron anaemia.
How gut health issues cause iron anaemia
First, when there's an overgrowth of gram-negative bacteria due to dysbiosis, or gut flora imbalances, there's a greater than normal release of LPS or endotoxins into the gut
Next, this triggers a gut immune response, initiating an inflammatory reaction. This induces pro-inflammatory cytokine production like interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)
These cytokines directly influence the regulation of hepcidin (a hormone / messenger, that regulates the body's iron levels by controlling its absorption and distribution), stimulating the liver to produce more
Elevated hepcidin levels cause a surplus of hepcidin in the body. This slows the function of ferroportin, the protein responsible for exporting iron from cells into the bloodstream
The result is in the internal sequestration or storage of iron within the cells, particularly in the gut lining and macrophages
Less iron is thus released into the bloodstream for utilisation, leading to a decrease in circulating iron levels
So while your body starves harmful imbalanced bacteria in your gut – a good thing, this can lead to anaemia – not good.
Other key causes of iron anaemia include inadequate dietary intake (common), increased iron loss eg bleeding, or an inability to use iron properly.
Balancing your gut microbiome and resolving infections there using food and nutrigenomic supplements to upregulate cell function and improve gut immunity can be a key step towards resolving iron anaemia for good.