Which statement about iron absorption is true?

Which statement about iron absorption is true?

• A. Vitamin C enhances absorption
• B. Vitamin C inhibits absorption
• C. Iron absorption is not affected by meals
• D. Calcium enhances absorption

Answer: (A)

Iron absorption depends on the chemical form of iron and what else is present in the gut. Non-heme iron from many foods is poorly absorbed unless it’s kept soluble and reduced to a form the intestine can take up. Vitamin C does exactly that: it reduces ferric iron (Fe3+) to ferrous iron (Fe2+) and helps form a soluble complex, which boosts uptake in the intestinal lining. Because of this, vitamin C enhances iron absorption, especially from plant sources. It’s also helpful to keep in mind that meals can influence absorption—the presence of vitamin C with iron-rich foods typically improves absorption, while other components in a meal can either inhibit (like phytates or polyphenols) or compete (like calcium) with iron absorption. In particular, calcium can interfere with iron uptake, so it does not enhance absorption. So the statement that vitamin C enhances iron absorption is the true one.

Iron absorption depends on the chemical form of iron and what else is present in the gut. Non-heme iron from many foods is poorly absorbed unless it’s kept soluble and reduced to a form the intestine can take up. Vitamin C does exactly that: it reduces ferric iron (Fe3+) to ferrous iron (Fe2+) and helps form a soluble complex, which boosts uptake in the intestinal lining. Because of this, vitamin C enhances iron absorption, especially from plant sources.

It’s also helpful to keep in mind that meals can influence absorption—the presence of vitamin C with iron-rich foods typically improves absorption, while other components in a meal can either inhibit (like phytates or polyphenols) or compete (like calcium) with iron absorption. In particular, calcium can interfere with iron uptake, so it does not enhance absorption.

So the statement that vitamin C enhances iron absorption is the true one.