Lack of Digestive Enzymes
Lack of digestive enzymes is a prevalent cause of low iron. Everyone’s body produces enzymes to help them digest their food. Enzymes are also “proteins that catalyze” or speed up chemical reactions. Most of these enzymes are made in the pancreas and secreted into the small intestine, where they help break down food into nutrients the body can absorb and use.
When a person’s pancreas cannot produce enough enzymes, they may not be able to digest proteins well, which will result in low iron. This is because the protein they consume will not be broken down into amino acids but will remain in large clumps that will not be absorbed and make their way out of the stool. This is why a lack of digestive enzymes is one of the causes of low iron. If they want to avoid this problem and increase their iron intake, they should consider adding more protein sources like fish, eggs, or lean red meat.
