The Role of the Microbiome in Iron Deficiency Verified Listing

Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutritional concerns in women’s health, particularly during the reproductive years, pregnancy, and for those following plant-based diets. Yet increasing iron levels is often less about increasing intake and more about ensuring the iron consumed is actually absorbed. Join Activated Probiotics to explore how the gut microbiota influences the absorption of both dietary and supplemental iron.

In this 1.5 hour workshop, we will cover:

-Why probiotic effects are strain-specific: an introduction to probiotic fundamentals and why clinical outcomes depend on the specific strain studied.

-How non-heme iron is absorbed: a step-by-step review of non-heme iron absorption, from the conversion of ferric to ferrous iron and uptake via DMT1, to transport through ferroportin and regulation by hepcidin.

-What factors can impair iron absorption: a closer look at common contributors to poor absorption, including villous atrophy (e.g. celiac disease), reduced stomach acidity, gut dysbiosis, and inflammation-driven increases in hepcidin.

-How the gut microbiome can support iron absorption: a review of the mechanisms and human clinical trials behind Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299v, including its effects on ferric iron reduction, mucosal health, and inflammation.

-How we can improve tolerance of iron supplementation: discussion of the gastrointestinal side effects that drive non-adherence to oral iron, along with practical strategies, key takeaways, and recommendations for healthcare practice.

This webinar is co-hosted with Biome Australia Limited.

Speaker : Rebecca Edwards, Director of Education at Activated Probiotics

Rebecca Edwards, Director of Education at Activated Probiotics, is a speaker, writer, and qualified naturopath. She has more than twenty years of experience educating on all aspects of complementary and integrative health. After a decade of practising as a naturopath in London, Rebecca began lecturing at UK’s largest college of natural medicine, leading to academic positions in Australia, UK, and US, and speaking engagements for healthcare practitioners around the world.

Rebecca has earned an international reputation as a leading expert in the systemic health effects of the gut microbiome and the effects of strain-specific probiotics. Since stepping into her role at Activated Probiotics in 2019, Rebecca shares her expertise in probiotic science with her team of educators and the greater medical community.