Just wanted to share this with the women. Its something to look into a bit if you think your iron maybe low. Also for the younger women, anemia is very common so don't think that because your young this doesn't apply to you!

The relationship between iron status and cognition in iron sufficient (CN), iron deficient (ID), and iron deficient anemic (IDA) women was examined using a blinded, placebo controlled intervention trial. Eight computerized cognitive performance tasks from the Detterman's Cognitive Abilities Test were administered at baseline and again after 16 weeks of consuming iron supplements or a placebo. The tasks involved 3 domains that build on one another: attention, memory, and learning which test Detterman's Modal Model of information processing. Baseline testing was completed by 149 women (42 CN, 73 ID, 34 IDA) while 113 women (30 CN, 53 ID, 30 IDA) completed the entire study. Cross-sectional ANCOVAs revealed that iron status is related to attention and memory in adult women. Performance was significantly better and time to achieve the tasks was significantly shorter in the women with the highest iron status compared to the women with the lowest iron status. Performance was affected even in the absence of anemia while time to complete the tasks was related to the level of anemia present. Repeated measures ANCOVA revealed an improvement in performance as well as time to complete the attention, memory, and learning tasks for those women who improved their iron status over time. This study demonstrates that iron status is related to information processing in adult women.

;)

Whoa, Bri -- I had my suspicions. Thanks thanks thanks for posting this - this is an extra incentive to remember to take my supplements.

Your very welcome MRB glad to help!;)

Thanks for the reminder! I have a tendency to be very anemic (and very scatter-brained). ;) The anemia can't be helping matters any. Now I just have to remember to take the iron pills....

Here's another article you might find interesting....I noticed you were discussing this and remembered seeing it.

April 20, 2004
"Mild Iron Deficiency Lowers Cognitive Function In Women
Iron deficiency that is so mild that it doesn't cause anemia still reduces cognitive function in women.

Young women who took iron supplementation for 16 weeks significantly improved their attention, short-term and long-term memory, and their performance on cognitive tasks, even though many were not considered to be anemic when the study began, according to researchers at Pennsylvania State University....."

The entire article can be found here:
http://www.futurepundit.com/archives/002058.html

Thanks Jeffery!

My pleasure!

Just wanted to share this with the women. Its something to look into a bit if you think your iron maybe low. Also for the younger women, anemia is very common so don't think that because your young this doesn't apply to you!

The relationship between iron status and cognition in iron sufficient (CN), iron deficient (ID), and iron deficient anemic (IDA) women was examined using a blinded, placebo controlled intervention trial. Eight computerized cognitive performance tasks from the Detterman's Cognitive Abilities Test were administered at baseline and again after 16 weeks of consuming iron supplements or a placebo. The tasks involved 3 domains that build on one another: attention, memory, and learning which test Detterman's Modal Model of information processing. Baseline testing was completed by 149 women (42 CN, 73 ID, 34 IDA) while 113 women (30 CN, 53 ID, 30 IDA) completed the entire study. Cross-sectional ANCOVAs revealed that iron status is related to attention and memory in adult women. Performance was significantly better and time to achieve the tasks was significantly shorter in the women with the highest iron status compared to the women with the lowest iron status. Performance was affected even in the absence of anemia while time to complete the tasks was related to the level of anemia present. Repeated measures ANCOVA revealed an improvement in performance as well as time to complete the attention, memory, and learning tasks for those women who improved their iron status over time. This study demonstrates that iron status is related to information processing in adult women.

;)

Thanks so much for telling us about this -- I've always run a bit low on iron. I'm going out to get my supplements today!

No problem! ;)

I just saw this topic and couldn't believe it! I've been anemic off and on since I was 17, I'm now almost 44. On Memorial Day I really crashed....passed out several times and extremely weak all day. Went to the doc the next day, had my blood checked and I was severely anemic. I've taken a presciption iron pill everyday since. Also, I've had this thing called Restless Leg Syndrome....it's been hard for me to get to sleep at night due to my legs being jumpy. This is also brought on by iron defiency. I hardly have this problem now. Just thought I'd share this.

that makes me think twice. I am a blood donor

I never thought about that. Must blood donors be iron-sufficient?

Oh wow I knew this was a good topic to start glad I did!

Flakey, you know I have never thought about that myself.............I have never been able to give blood because I don't weigh enough. I learned how to draw blood in college but they never said anything about that. Maybe because we test the blood not take it from donators. So, when you find out let us know. Just because I can't give blood now doesn't mean I won't want to someday. Esp if I am they same type as my mother.

Me neither, exept when pregnant and then I couldn't for that reason. I'd like to but if I am dq'd on the anemia thing too....

I am glad that I found this post, I knew years ago when I was pregnant that I was Iron deficient, but afterwards I stopped taking Iron pills,

I will definitely give this a try, as well as my husband since he does have Restless Leg Syndrome - would be great to see if this helps him.

Thanks all,

If you give blood every 58 days it can make you anemic. I had no problems with anemia until I routinely gave blood. I will continue to give blood just not as often. I will make sure I take the iron pills in between. I have 0 negative and I am a CRV hero so my blood goes to preemies so I want to give to the babies...how could I say no?

I've never given blood (I don't weigh enough either), but it's my understanding that they'll give you a quick hemoglobin test before they accept you as a donor.

About the iron supplements ... you might want to have your blood checked before taking extra iron. If you're like me, your hemoglobin probably is low, but men are much less prone to anemia and shouldn't take extra iron unless they really need it.

Thanks for the warning, will check into - yes I remember for the longest time - my doctor always insisted on checking my Hemoglobin - always said I looked pale and finally told me I needed some sun, don't understand enough to know what one had to do with the other.

Tx for posting, saw it last week and suddenly ; DA so thats the reason I have dizzy spells and no appetite and for lack of elequence icky in general - so went out bought multi-vitamins and doing much better - so TX

I should be getting some blood test myself run at the end of the month but I am not sure all what for. My new Dr wants to run some test. I guess to see if all is ok. I dunno I get blood test every 6 months by my old Dr to check my liver function but my new one said he'd be running a lot more test. YHe probably told me but I always get nervious with new Dr so maybe I just didnt catch what he said. I'll definatly ask at my next apt in a couple of weeks. I think it may have to do with I started going there because of depression and anxiety issues I have. I don't know what is the main cause of it maybe blood work will help rule out some things?...........I told him that I know having ADD might have something to do with it but I also have sleeping problems and endometriosis that could also cause depression or anxiety. Esp the endo because my harmones are out of wack. And some may be still around from my fiance being in Iraq a year and I didn't get the support the spouce's get. I still can't watch much anything that has to do with this war without getting depressed even though I know he is safe now.

I did however ask him if he could fit me in somewhere to get my blood typed. My mother has the universal blood I would like to know if I do too even though I can't donate now maybe when I am older and weigh more I can.

oooh! Thanks for posting! I don't know that I AM anemic, but my mother is occassionally anemic, and I suffer from poor circulation and on occasion head rushes from standing too quickly etc., which I think could point that way. Plus, I havent been eating well at all lately. I'm definately going to try a supplement. Can;t hurt, right?! Especially the part about low iron even below anemia. Thanks agaiN!

Thank you. Yet another reminder of why I need to take my iron pills. I have been anemic for a very long time. Hmmmmmmmmmm, you figure maybe I am just iron deficiant, versus ADD? lol... no, I couldn't be so lucky. But, I'm definately going to add taking my iron as my daily regiment ~ behavior modification... here I come.

I've gotten away from the iron supplements but I will put them back in. I appreciate the info! I love the way we all look out for each other; we rock!

We often need a higher level, too.

It is my understanding that our Stored Iron (Serum Ferritin is the blood test). Do not confuse this with Hemoglobin, which is a more short term/recent iron level check.

My Serum Ferritin was '19' and my Family Doctor kept saying this was "okay", despite my TERRIBLE CALF PAINS.

She was going by the 'guidelines' though, for standard care.

However, we RLS/PLM/ADD/ADHD people can be different.

Contrastingly -- My Sleep Doctor and ADHD Doctor want it to be over '55' and preferably approaching ~'100'.

Hah!

One article I read said that we need more iron b/c there is an IRON-mediated signal site in the brain <?> which affects DOPAMINE. (VIA Tyrosine Hydroxylase)

http://www.news-medical.net/?id=5852

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2004-10/ps-mst102104.php

Sheesh, who knew, eh?


(re: Supplements for men. They can get too high an Iron level (Hemoglobin; Serum Ferritin) and get 'iron overload' which can stress the heart and promote blood clotting. e.g. can create thick, clotty blood. Talk to a sleep clinic doctor. They are the experts on RLS.)

Wow thanks for this post.. I too have pondered the thought that I may be low in Iron.

thanks!

hmm, interesting topic here. When I had my routine blood testing last year my doc told me I was mildly iron deficient...not enough to worry about, but maybe take some supplements to get it back up.

I'm ADD, mildly iron deficient, have restless legs, sleep issues....what causes the other? who knows? Its crazy how one little chemical imbalance/deficiency in the brain can have so many wide ranging effects...many of which are unconfirmed connections, but those of us that have the issues "know" it is all somehow connected.

ADD will still be there, but making sure you get all of the proper nutrients sure helps...thanks for bringing this up...since those of us that need the supplements are also the ones most likely to forget to take them :)

I'm not sure if anyone has said this already, but the iron deficiency thing could totally explain why I become more ADD when I'm at that time of the month.

Thanks!