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 key to mood and mental health as it plays a key role in oxidative metabolism and the reduction of free radicals. It is also a cofactor in the synthesis of neurotransmitters and myelin. Your neurotransmitters are serotonin, dopamine, beta-endorphins, and GABA.
In young adult women, body iron is unlikely to be associated with significant deficits in mood or depressive symptoms. However, higher body iron may be associated with more depressive symptoms in young adult men.
Iron is absorbed the best on an empty stomach. Yet, iron supplements can cause stomach cramps, nausea, and diarrhea in some people. You may need to take iron with a small amount of food to avoid this problem. Milk, calcium and antacids should not be taken at the same time as iron supplements.
Some signs that iron pills are working for iron deficiency anemia include increased energy, less weakness, and less shortness of breath or dizziness.
Common iron supplement side effects include constipation, diarrhea, dark stools, and a metallic taste in your mouth.
According to a specialist, you should take iron early in the morning to have a good effect, because at this time the body has just undergone a long sleep and this period is when the calcium and iron levels in the body are at a low level. best. Therefore, every day taking iron in the morning is what experts recommend.
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.
Iron is essential in the production of hemoglobin, a protein that allows red blood cells to carry oxygen to your tissues and muscles. So when you have low levels of iron, less oxygen gets to your cells, keeping them from functioning properly and often leading to fatigue, weakness, and even anxiety and depression.
Iron deficiency is considered to be a physical condition, but there is a strong association between iron deficiency and struggling mental health. Iron is a vital element that influences many other bodily functions.
Abnormalities in brain iron may contribute to various psychiatric disorders, including major depression, bipolar disorder and autism,1, 2, 3 and to diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease, that can have psychiatric features.
"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.
Children can appear unmotivated, apathetic and less physically fit. Anemic children have difficulty with tests and are more disruptive than their classmates. A child with nutrient deficiencies may be irritable, aggressive, disagreeable, or sad and withdrawn.
Having a mineral deficiency like iron deficiency anemia can predispose people to hyperventilate and experience panic attacks at a higher rate than those without anemia. The presence of heavy metals in nervous system tissue is also linked with mental health issues.
Do not regularly take large amounts of iron for longer than 6 months without checking with your health care professional. People differ in their need for iron, and those with certain medical conditions can gradually become poisoned by taking too much iron over a period of time.
While there's little scientific evidence backing this claim up, weight gain from iron pills does happen 6. One study found that individuals with iron deficiency anemia complained of weight gain during their treatment, even though oral preparations of iron aren't known to cause weight gain as a side effect.
Iron levels usually start dropping after about 2 weeks of stopping taking iron supplements.
No extensive studies have been done on whether iron supplementation can cause insomnia, but there is evidence to support the link between supplementing with iron and enjoying increased sleep.
Taking iron tablets can turn the stool a dark, almost black color (actually dark green). This is normal, and does not mean that the iron tablets are causing GI bleeding. Children are at particular risk of iron poisoning (overdose), making it very important to store iron tablets out of the reach of children.
Iron helps support your energy levels, therefore you should expect to feel less tiredness and fatigue.
The following side-effects are common: • tummy upset • nausea (feeling sick) • tummy pain • diarrhoea • constipation. These usually improve as your body gets used to the iron supplements. If needed, you can reduce the dose to once a day and/or request a lower strength supplement.
Without sufficient iron, the body cannot produce enough red blood cells to transport oxygen to our organs and cells. Optimal oxygen delivery is need for all normal bodily processes including optimal brain function, energy and immunity.
Large amounts of iron might also cause more serious effects, including inflammation of the stomach lining and ulcers. High doses of iron can also decrease zinc absorption. Extremely high doses of iron (in the hundreds or thousands of mg) can cause organ failure, coma, convulsions, and death.
The side effects of ferrous sulfate supplements are usually temporary. They should go away as your body gets used to the medication.