Summary of Iron Deficiency Could Be Making Your Mental Health Symptoms Worse:
Recent research suggests that iron levels play a significant role in mental health, as iron is essential for producing neurotransmitters that affect mood and cognition. Iron deficiency can worsen symptoms of depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia. Iron supplementation can help improve mood and reduce fatigue, even in individuals without iron-deficiency anemia. However, awareness about this connection remains limited among healthcare providers and patients. It is recommended that people with mental health conditions get tested for iron levels, eat iron-rich foods, or take supplements. Low iron levels have been associated with symptoms of depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia, and iron supplementation has been shown to improve mental health symptoms. Ferritin testing is recommended for people with mental health conditions and another factor that makes them highly susceptible to low iron levels. However, there isn’t a consensus on the optimum ferritin level to aim for through diet changes and supplementation, nor how often people should get tested after making changes. Overdoing iron supplementation can be harmful and potentially fatal, especially for toddlers and young children, so it’s essential to read the label on the supplement and choose a brand that an independent organization has tested.
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A study says that iron levels in the body are linked to mental health.
According to recent research, iron plays a crucial role in producing essential neurotransmitters that affect mental health. Iron deficiency can worsen symptoms of depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia, while supplementation can help improve mood and reduce fatigue. However, awareness about the link between iron and mental health remains limited among healthcare professionals and patients, according to a study by Stephanie Weinberg Levin of Michigan Medicine and the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System. As a result, people with mental health conditions may want to get tested and increase their intake of iron-rich foods or supplements.
The Role of Iron in mental health
The best sources of iron include dried beans, dried fruits, eggs (especially egg yolks), iron-fortified cereals, liver, lean red meat (especially beef), poultry, dark red meat, oysters, tuna, salmon, and whole grains. Eating iron-rich foods is essential for everyone, but people with mental health conditions may specifically want to ask their doctor to order a ferritin test that measures iron levels in a specific way.
Iron plays a vital role in making the molecules needed to produce essential brain chemicals, such as the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, that are important to mental health. Research has suggested a link between low iron levels and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia. Studies examining the relationship between iron levels and symptoms have also revealed that iron supplementation is associated with improving mental health symptoms and thought processes, even in individuals without iron-deficiency anemia.
Ferritin testing and supplementation
Ferritin levels are an essential indicator of the body’s overall iron stores. Levin recommends ferritin testing for those who have both mental health issues and other factors that make them highly susceptible to low iron levels, such as pregnant women, young children, women with heavy menstrual bleeding, frequent blood donors, patients with cancer, individuals with gastrointestinal surgeries and those with heart failure.
For individuals with low ferritin levels, there isn’t a consensus on the optimum level to aim for through diet changes and supplementation, nor how often they should get tested after making changes. However, Levin suggests aiming for a 100 ng/ml ferritin level and getting tested every four to six weeks. It’s also essential to consult a physician before taking iron supplements, as they can cause severe and even fatal poisoning if taken by a young child.
Conclusion
Iron plays a crucial role in mental health, yet awareness about its connection remains limited among healthcare professionals and consumers alike. With growing evidence of a link between low iron levels and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia, people with mental health conditions may benefit from getting tested and increasing their intake of iron-rich foods or supplements. By working with healthcare providers to optimize iron levels, individuals can help improve their mental health and overall well-being.
