If you live with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, you may already know how exhausting it can be, not just from the inflammation itself, but from low iron levels and anaemia. A new study from the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine is helping explain why that happens in some people, and why oral iron supplements don’t always work.
🧬 Researchers found that about 1 in 5 people with IBD carry a specific mutation in a gene called PTPN2, which impairs the body’s ability to absorb iron from food. This may explain why oral supplements sometimes fail, and patients with this mutation may do better with intravenous (IV) iron, rather than tablets.
🔍 Why this matters: If you’ve ever struggled with fatigue, dizziness, or felt wiped out even when your gut symptoms were “under control,” iron deficiency might be playing a role, and your genes could be part of the picture.
Have you or a loved one with IBD struggled with chronic fatigue or iron deficiency?
Have you ever felt like oral iron just wasn’t helping?
Would knowing about a genetic link like this change how you talk to your doctor about fatigue or supplements?
Somya.P
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Somya.P
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Last activity on 03/07/2025 at 15:24
Joined in 2023
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Hello everyone, how are you doing today?
If you live with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, you may already know how exhausting it can be, not just from the inflammation itself, but from low iron levels and anaemia. A new study from the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine is helping explain why that happens in some people, and why oral iron supplements don’t always work.
🧬 Researchers found that about 1 in 5 people with IBD carry a specific mutation in a gene called PTPN2, which impairs the body’s ability to absorb iron from food. This may explain why oral supplements sometimes fail, and patients with this mutation may do better with intravenous (IV) iron, rather than tablets.
🔍 Why this matters: If you’ve ever struggled with fatigue, dizziness, or felt wiped out even when your gut symptoms were “under control,” iron deficiency might be playing a role, and your genes could be part of the picture.
Have you or a loved one with IBD struggled with chronic fatigue or iron deficiency?
Have you ever felt like oral iron just wasn’t helping?
Would knowing about a genetic link like this change how you talk to your doctor about fatigue or supplements?
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With care,
Somya from the Carenity team 🌼