Trying to Solve the Puzzle of the Interaction of Ascorbic Acid and Iron: Redox, Chelation and Therapeutic Implications

This 2020 review explores the complex interplay between ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and iron, emphasizing their redox and chelation dynamics with significant clinical implications. Vitamin C enhances iron absorption by reducing ferric (Fe³⁺) to ferrous (Fe²⁺) iron, facilitating uptake. However, this reduction can also catalyze the Fenton reaction, generating reactive