Iron and Zinc Interactions in Nutritional Science
Summary
Iron and zinc are indispensable micronutrients that coexist at multiple levels of absorption, transport and cellular regulation. Both metals share common pathways in the gut, where they can compete for uptake and influence each other’s bioavailability. At the molecular level, zinc modulates expression of key iron transporters, while iron status affects zinc distribution and excretion. This interplay has broad implications for public health, since deficiencies often co-occur in vulnerable populations and can exacerbate anaemia, growth retardation and impaired immune function. Nutritional interventions—ranging from food fortification to combined micronutrient supplementation—must therefore consider these interactions to optimise efficacy. A balanced understanding of shared transport mechanisms, regulatory feedback loops and population-level outcomes is essential for the design of targeted strategies that address dual deficiencies without unintended antagonism.
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Iron and Zinc Interactions in Nutritional Science publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in iron and zinc interactions in nutritional science across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Divalent Metal Transporter 1 (DMT1): A transmembrane protein in enterocytes that mediates uptake of Fe²⁺ and other divalent metals from the intestinal lumen into cells.
Ferroportin (FPN1): The only known iron exporter in mammals, located on the basolateral membrane of enterocytes and macrophages, facilitating iron release into circulation.
Enteric Zinc Excretion: The process by which excess zinc is secreted into the intestinal tract, primarily via pancreatic secretions, thereby influencing local metal sensing and transporter regulation.
Serum Ferritin: An intracellular iron-storage protein measured in blood; serves as a marker of total body iron stores and an acute-phase reactant during inflammation.
References
- Iron and Zinc Homeostasis and Interactions: Does Enteric Zinc Excretion Cross-Talk with Intestinal Iron Absorption?. Nutrients (2019).
- Associations of serum concentrations of metal nutrients with postpartum anemia among pregnant Chinese women: A large retrospective cohort study. Frontiers in Nutrition (2023).
- Micronutrients and socio-demographic factors were major predictors of anaemia among the Ethiopian population. British Journal Of Nutrition (2023).
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