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 .
Iron deficiency anemia and educational achievement.
The present study investigates the effect of iron supplementation on measures of school performance among 78 iron-deficient anemic and 41 nonanemic children in an economically deprived rural area in Central Java , Indonesia . All the subjects were treated for ancylostomiasis before iron supplementation . They were r and omly assigned to either an iron or placebo group . Hematological and behavioral measurements were obtained immediately before ( T1 ) and after ( T2 ) the iron and placebo treatments . Iron treatment for a 3-mo period result ed in substantive increases in mean Hgb , Hct , and transferrin saturation among the iron-deficient anemic children . Furthermore , changes in the iron status of iron-deficient anemic children were associated with significant changes in the school achievement test scores of iron-deficient anemic children . T2 evaluation of achievement test scores indicated that the difference between iron-treated anemic and nonanemic children was still statistically significant . However , when T1 scores were entered as a covariate , iron-deficient anemic subjects treated with iron obtained significantly higher delta achievement scores . Findings from the present study indicate that iron supplementation among iron-deficient anemic children benefits learning processes as measured by the school achievement test scores
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 .