Helicobacter pylori interference with micronutrients and orally administered drugs: a new mechanism explaining its role in extragastric disorders

There is an increasing evidence that Helicobacter pylori may interfere with gastrointestinal metabolism of micronutrients and drugs such as iron, cobalamin, thyroxine and levodopa, with relevant clinical effects. In this review we examine the strength of the causal association and the plausible pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying these adverse effects.