In anaemic groups supplementation improved intelligence quotient ( IQ ) by 2.5 points ( 95 % CI 1.24 to 3.76 ) , but had no effect on non-anaemic participants , or on memory , psychomotor skills or scholastic achievement .
Background In observational studies anaemia and iron deficiency are associated with cognitive deficits , suggesting that iron supplementation may improve cognitive function .
However , due to the potential for confounding by socio-economic status in observational studies , this needs to be verified in data from r and omised controlled trials ( RCTs ) .
Aim To assess whether iron supplementation improved cognitive domains : concentration , intelligence , memory , psychomotor skills and scholastic achievement .
A randomized trial of oral iron on tests of short-term memory and attention span in young pregnant women.
Recent studies suggest that infant behavior and psychological test performance are impaired by iron deficiency and may be improved by iron . Comparable studies have not been performed in older population s. Young women early in pregnancy whose nutritional intake may be impaired by poverty constitute a high-risk population . Women aged 14 - 24 years coming for prenatal care at or before 16 weeks gestation whose hematocrits were greater than or equal to 31 % were r and omized in a double-blind trial to receive vitamins supplemented with iron ( experimental group ) or vitamins alone ( controls ) . Hematologic status and tests of short-term memory and attention span were assessed at entry and conclusion of the one-month treatment period . The experimental group showed significant improvement on the most sensitive measure of short-term memory and three subtests . On comparison of the change between initial and final scores , the experimental group showed significant or borderline greater improvement than controls on three tests . These results indicated a beneficial effect of iron therapy on psychometric test-score performance
In anaemic groups supplementation improved intelligence quotient ( IQ ) by 2.5 points ( 95 % CI 1.24 to 3.76 ) , but had no effect on non-anaemic participants , or on memory , psychomotor skills or scholastic achievement .
Background In observational studies anaemia and iron deficiency are associated with cognitive deficits , suggesting that iron supplementation may improve cognitive function .
However , due to the potential for confounding by socio-economic status in observational studies , this needs to be verified in data from r and omised controlled trials ( RCTs ) .
Aim To assess whether iron supplementation improved cognitive domains : concentration , intelligence , memory , psychomotor skills and scholastic achievement .