Iron status, cognitive performance, and behavioral affect in young women

Iron deficiency is the greatest single nutrient deficiency worldwide, affecting those in developing countries as well as developed countries. Those most affected are infants, children, and women of reproductive age. Iron deficiency anemia has been linked to poor motor and mental development in children and adolescents. Observations of iron deficiency and behavioral alterations have also been made. Recent findings in adolescents and children demonstrate that iron deficiency may impair cognitive abilities even in the absence of anemia.; Research documenting the effects of iron status on cognition and behavior in adults is sparse. Although iron is important during the rapid development of the brain, it continues to be important for many cellular oxidative and synthetic processes occurring even in adulthood. Therefore, iron deficiency may alter cognitive functioning during periods of life other than early growth and development.; Given the findings of altered cognition in non-anemic, iron deficient individuals, it is important to examine the relationship of the severity of the iron deficiency to the severity of the outcome. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to define the effects of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia on cognitive performance and behavioral affect in young women through the use of a blinded, placebo controlled intervention study monitoring iron sufficient, iron deficient, and iron deficiency anemic women.; Results indicate that both iron deficiency as well as iron deficiency anemia impact cognition as measured by using the Cognitive Abilities Test. Iron deficiency in the absence of anemia was shown to negatively affect cognitive performance as evidenced by alterations in attention, memory, and learning processes. An intervention which normalized the iron status, also improved the cognitive performance. Iron deficiency anemia was associated with not only an alteration in performance but also in time necessary to complete the cognitive tasks. Normalization of the anemia resulted in normalization of time to complete the tasks. A relationship between iron status and behavioral affect was not readily apparent in this population when assessed on the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Inventory, the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Spielberger State-Trait Anger Scale although iron supplementation of the already iron sufficient women, resulted in a decrease in both depression as well as anger levels.; In conclusion, this study demonstrates that even in adulthood, iron status is related to cognitive performance with iron stores and iron transport having an affect on cognition as well as anemia. Furthermore, supplementation can reverse these negative effects. Given the magnitude of iron deficiency worldwide, findings from this data are applicable to a significant number of individuals.