Specifically, iron plays an important role in how your body makes the neurotransmitters called serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine – all of them important in mental health. Research suggests a connection between low iron levels and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia, Levin and Gattari write.
Iron is essential for a number of enzymes involved in neurotransmitter synthesis, including serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine [36], which are involved in the regulation of mood, neuronal activity, and anxiety [37, 38]. Iron deficiency is usually associated with a low level of serotonin.
(3) Iron helps support your energy metabolism, supports cognitive function and supports your immune system. (4) These symptoms may be signs of other conditions. You should contact a health care professional if they persist. (5) https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/iron/, accessed May 2020.
According to a study named, 'A delicate balance: Iron metabolism and diseases of the brain' published in 'Frontiers of Aging Neuroscience' iron deficiency or overdose of iron- both could affect the cognitive functions of the brain, which could result in mood swings.
According to a 2020 study , iron deficiency anemia can increase a person's risk of depression. Iron deficiency can cause low levels of serotonin, an important neurotransmitter and mood stabilizer.
In the brain, iron is bound to ferritin, the levels of which are decreased by iron deficiency and increased by iron supplementation. Low ferritin levels in childhood have been reported to affect the development of the central nervous system, leading to mental retardation and behavioral disorders.
Deficiency of iron is reported to cause several behavioural disturbances in children. These children are irritable, disruptive, have a short attention span and lack interest in the surroundings.
And since iron is an essential element for brain functions that can dictate psychological behaviours, low iron levels in the body may put you at risk for a variety of mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.
Iron is essential for many biological functions including neurotransmitter synthesis, where the metal is a co-factor of tyrosine hydroxylase, which converts tyrosine to dopamine and further to norepinephrine.
"If you actually ask women who have iron deficiency what their symptoms are, fatigue and tiredness is there but right at the top of the list is brain fog and that's what women described — it's the inability to think clearly," says Professor Toby Richards.
When you should start to feel better depends on your particular situation. Normally, it may take from a week to a month after you start your iron supplement before you start to feel better.
When will I start to feel better? It may take one to four weeks (after you start your iron supplement) before you start to feel better.
It can take anywhere from 8-12 weeks to feel better after taking iron supplements. You may feel better a few weeks after you start to take iron supplements. In some cases, it may take up to 6 months before you start to feel better.
Multiple studies in people with and without mental health diagnoses have showed improvements in mood and fatigue after iron supplementation, even if they didn't meet the criteria for iron-deficiency anemia.
Iron pills don't work for everyone, but they do help support energy levels and reduce feelings of tiredness and fatigue. The body needs iron to produce red blood cells which carry oxygen around the body. If you experience ongoing tiredness and fatigue, consider taking an iron supplement such as Active Iron.
Low Iron and ADHD
The lower the levels of ferritin — a protein found inside cells that store iron — the more severe the symptoms. A small study, published in Pediatric Neurology, showed that symptoms improved when iron-deficient children with ADHD took an iron supplement.
Researchers suggest iron deficiency could exacerbate mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. A low ferritin test result, indicating iron deficiency, calls for an increase in dietary iron and potentially supplements, under professional guidance.
Altered levels of iron and zinc increase the susceptibility, aggravation and progression of ADHD. In children, the severity of iron deficiency has been linked to a 30% increase in inattentive, impulsive, and hyperactive behaviours.
Low iron intake resulting from diet and accelerated iron loss, which occurs through bleeding or breastfeeding, are the main causes of iron deficiency. The first symptoms of iron deficiency anemia tend to be neurological resulting in brain fog and fatigue.
Low iron in the brain is not so much a sign of ADHD, as ADHD is a clinical sign for low iron. Any child entering my office with ADHD is suspect for low iron status. Simple to screen, with labs, food intake, clinical signs, or all three.
Brain iron deficiency is associated with disruption of neurophysiological mechanisms that, within a social context that does not provide regular stimuli, compromises motor and cognitive development (e.g., impaired motor sequencing and bi-manual coordination, poor executive function, attention, and memory).
You may also find that low iron causes weight gain. There are a couple of reasons for this; firstly, your energy levels are low and so your exercise levels reduce; secondly, iron is essential for thyroid function, and an underactive thyroid will lead to weight gain.
Increased iron levels promote the generation of reactive oxygen species, leading to cellular and tissue damage [55,56]. With respect to emotional behaviors, iron overload appears to alter anxiety-like behavior and mood [57-59].
Neuropsychiatric symptoms, like fatigue and depressed mood, occur in iron overload [1], [2]. However, specific psychiatric disorders during the course of hereditary hemochromatosis or secondary disorders of iron metabolism are rarely reported.