Increasing iron and zinc in pre-menopausal women and its effects on mood and cognition: a systematic review

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#affect #anemia-iron-deficiency #cognition #depression #dietary-supplements

Increasing iron and zinc in pre-menopausal women and its effects on mood and cognition: a systematic review

Lomagno et al., 2014 | Nutrients | Systematic Review

Citation

Lomagno Karla A, Hu Feifei, ... Byrne Linda K. Increasing iron and zinc in pre-menopausal women and its effects on mood and cognition: a systematic review. Nutrients. 2014-Nov-14;6(11):5117-41. doi:10.3390/nu6115117

Abstract

Iron and zinc are essential minerals often present in similar food sources. In addition to the adverse effects of frank iron and zinc-deficient states, iron insufficiency has been associated with impairments in mood and cognition. This paper reviews current literature on iron or zinc supplementation and its impact on mood or cognition in pre-menopausal women. Searches included MEDLINE complete, Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE), psychINFO, psychARTICLES, pubMED, ProQuest Health and Medical Complete Academic Search complete, Scopus and ScienceDirect. Ten randomized controlled trials and one non-randomized controlled trial were found to meet the inclusion criteria. Seven studies found improvements in aspects of mood and cognition after iron supplementation. Iron supplementation appeared to improve memory and intellectual ability in participants aged between 12 and 55 years in seven studies, regardless of whether the participant was initially iron insufficient or iron-deficient with anaemia. The review also found three controlled studies providing evidence to suggest a role for zinc supplementation as a treatment for depressive symptoms, as both an adjunct to traditional antidepressant therapy for individuals with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder and as a therapy in its own right in pre-menopausal women with zinc deficiency. Overall, the current literature indicates a positive effect of improving zinc status on enhanced cognitive and emotional functioning. However, further study involving well-designed randomized controlled trials is needed to identify the impact of improving iron and zinc status on mood and cognition.

Key Findings

However, further study involving well-designed randomized controlled trials is needed to identify the impact of improving iron and zinc status on mood and cognition.

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population a diagnosis of major
Sample Size See abstract
Age Range See abstract
Condition mood

MeSH Terms

  • Affect
  • Anemia, Iron-Deficiency
  • Cognition
  • Depression
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Iron, Dietary
  • Premenopause
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Zinc

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Systematic Review
  • Publication Types: Journal Article, Systematic Review
  • Vertical: zinc-mood

Provenance

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09