Intestinal microbiota as a route for micronutrient bioavailability

Abstract

The deficiency of micronutrients, including vitamins and minerals, is estimated to affect two billion people worldwide and can have devastating immediate and long-term consequences. Major causes range from inadequate micronutrient consumption mostly owing to a lack of dietary diversity, to poor nutrient absorption in the gastrointestinal tract as a result of clinical or pathological conditions. Recent studies in model organisms and humans demonstrated that intestinal microbiota plays an important role in the de novo biosynthesis and bioavailability of several micronutrients and might be a major determinant of human micronutrient status. Here, we address the importance of the gut microbiome for maintaining the balance of host vitamins and minerals and explore its potential therapeutic benefits and implications on human health.

Keywords: Bioavailability; Microbiota; Micronutrient deficiency; Minerals; Vitamins.

Figure 1. Micronutrient interexchange between the gut microbiota and host.

Differences in the physicochemical properties of various sections of the gastrointestinal tract, together with the presence of site-specific receptors, enable absorption of different vitamins and minerals along the tract. The colonization of each different section by different microorganisms can impact the local environment and thereby positively or negatively influence the bioavailability of micronutrients.