Effect of Low-dose Versus Standard-dose Iron Supplementation on the Gut Microbiome

Iron deficiency is a common problem that is often treated with the administration of oral iron. Most of the iron is not absorbed and remains in the intestine, where it influences the balance of gut bacteria. This influence is usually undesirable and should be kept as small as possible. With lower iron doses, the amount of unabsorbed iron is smaller and therefore a smaller change in the intestinal bacteria composition is to be expected.