Liver-gut axis in the regulation of iron homeostasis.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review of physiological mechanisms without systematic search methodology or original human data.
PubMed 17729395 · doi:10.3748/wjg.v13.i35.4737
What was done
Narrative review describing the physiological mechanisms of systemic iron balance, focusing on the liver-gut axis and the role of the hepatic hormone hepcidin in regulating intestinal iron absorption.
What was found
The abstract reports that the human body requires approximately 1–2 mg of dietary iron per day and relies entirely on proximal small intestinal absorption due to the absence of an active excretion pathway. The liver modulates this process by secreting hepcidin, a peptide hormone that limits iron delivery to the plasma from the small intestine and other tissues. Hepcidin expression responds to body iron stores, erythropoietic demand, inflammation, and hypoxia. No empirical trial data, quantitative effect estimates, or statistical values were reported.
Why it matters
It outlines the central regulatory mechanism by which hepatic hepcidin production coordinates dietary iron uptake with systemic physiological iron demands.
Limits
As a narrative review, it provides mechanistic descriptions without systematic study selection criteria, human trial data, or quantitative metrics.
Cited by
- supports The human body has no active physiological mechanism for excreting excess iron.