anemia
10 interactions related to anemia
copper + iron
Copper is required to synthesize ceruloplasmin, a ferroxidase that oxidizes ferrous iron to ferric iron so it can bind transferrin and be transported to bone marrow for hemoglobin production. Without adequate copper, dietary or supplemental iron cannot be mobilized effectively and copper-deficiency anemia develops even when iron stores are normal.
iron + vitamin a
Vitamin A and beta-carotene improve absorption of non-heme iron from plant foods by forming soluble complexes with iron that protect it from binding to phytates and polyphenols in the gut. In a controlled human study, vitamin A roughly doubled iron absorption from rice and increased absorption from wheat and corn.
black tea + iron
Polyphenols (tannins) in black tea bind non-heme iron in the gut lumen to form insoluble iron-tannate complexes, blocking absorption. Inhibition of non-heme iron uptake from a meal can reach 79-94% when black tea is consumed with food.
green tea + iron
Green tea catechins, especially epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), chelate non-heme iron in the gut and form insoluble complexes that reduce intestinal absorption. The effect is dose-related and most pronounced when tea is consumed with iron-containing meals or supplements.
peppermint tea + iron
Peppermint tea is rich in polyphenols (particularly rosmarinic acid) and tannins that bind non-heme iron in the gut, forming insoluble complexes that cannot be absorbed. Controlled studies show peppermint tea can reduce non-heme iron absorption from a meal by up to 84%.
vitamin b12 + folate
Vitamin B12 and folate are interdependent coenzymes in the methionine cycle: methylfolate donates a methyl group to homocysteine while B12 (methylcobalamin) is the required cofactor for methionine synthase, the enzyme catalyzing the reaction. Adequate intake of both is needed to lower homocysteine, support DNA synthesis, and prevent the neurologic damage that high-dose folate alone can mask.
omeprazole + iron
Omeprazole reduces absorption of nonheme (plant and supplemental) iron by raising gastric pH, which prevents the reduction of ferric (Fe3+) to absorbable ferrous (Fe2+) iron. Recent research also shows PPIs upregulate hepcidin and downregulate duodenal ferroportin, directly blocking iron export from enterocytes.
oolong tea + iron
Oolong tea sits between green and black tea in polyphenol oxidation and contains substantial tannins and catechins that bind non-heme iron in the gut to form insoluble iron-polyphenol complexes. Drinking oolong tea with meals reduces absorption of dietary and supplemental non-heme iron.
coffee + iron
Coffee contains chlorogenic acid and other polyphenols with galloyl groups that chelate non-heme iron in the gut lumen, forming insoluble complexes. A cup of coffee taken with a meal can reduce non-heme iron absorption by roughly 39% to 60%.
iron + ferritin test
Recent iron supplementation does not meaningfully affect ferritin measurement itself (ferritin is a storage protein, not free iron in serum), but it does spike serum iron and transferrin saturation values measured in the same panel, leading to misleading interpretation of overall iron status. A ferritin result drawn shortly after an iron tablet can also be misinterpreted alongside falsely elevated serum iron, suggesting iron stores are repleted when they are not.