Which of the following vitamins helps enhance iron absorption?

Vitamin C is known to significantly enhance iron absorption, particularly non-heme iron, which is found in plant-based foods. This vitamin achieves this by reducing ferric iron (Fe3+) to ferrous iron (Fe2+), a form that can be more easily absorbed by the intestines. Furthermore, Vitamin C can form a complex with iron, which also aids in its absorption. This synergistic relationship is especially important in individuals relying on vegetarian sources of iron, as non-heme iron is less efficiently absorbed compared to heme iron from animal sources.

Vitamins such as A, D, and K, while essential for various bodily functions, do not play a direct role in enhancing iron absorption. Vitamin A is crucial for vision and immune function, Vitamin D is vital for calcium absorption and bone health, and Vitamin K is important for blood clotting and bone metabolism, but none of these vitamins affect how the body absorbs iron as Vitamin C does.