Prebiotics and iron bioavailability? Unveiling the hidden association - A review

Iron deficiency anemia [IDA] has emerged as public health concern with poor bioavailability, reliance on dietary cereals and presence of anti-nutritional factors further exacerbating the issue. Strategies like dietary diversification, supplementation, food fortification and bio-fortification have been suggested yet the problem keep on staggering large populations globally. Recent evidence has shown that prebiotics reasoned to fermentation by gut microbiota may lower the pH of the luminal content, boost reduction of Fe (III) to Fe (II), and stimulate expression of mineral-transport proteins in epithelial cells that may enhance the absorption of iron among anemic subjects. However, a detailed study and research needs to be executed to establish this connection. The present review is an attempt to relate the cumulative effect of prebiotics on bioavailability of iron fortificants to effectively address the problem of iron deficiency anemia. [Display omitted] •Prebiotics added to iron fortificants help enhance absorption of iron among anemic models.•Inulin and GOS increase production of SCFA thereby increasing iron absorption in duodenum and proximal colon.•In combination with each other, prebiotics and iron fortificants can better tackle iron deficiency anemia.•Dual benefits of prebiotics can be attained by adding them to iron fortificants.