Systemic iron reduction by venesection alters the gut microbiome in patients with haemochromatosis

Abstract

Iron depletion by repeated venesection is the mainstay of treatment for haemochromatosis, an iron-overload disorder. Venesection has been associated with several health benefits, including improvements in liver function tests, reversal of liver scarring, and reduced risk of liver cancer. During iron depletion, iron absorption from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract increases to compensate for iron lost with treatment. Iron availability is limited in the GI tract and is crucial to the growth and function of many gut bacteria. In this study we show that reduced iron availability in the colon following venesection treatment leads to a change in the composition of the gut bacteria, a finding that, to date, has not been studied in patients with haemochromatosis.