Can iron deficiency affect memory?
Q: Does iron deficiency affect memory? Can it lead to memory loss?
A:Several studies have shown the impact of iron deficiency on cognitive functions. A randomised, double-blind intervention study in New Zealand (2002) in adolescent girls revealed that giving iron significantly improved immediate recall of recently heard words. In addition, significant relationships were found between haemoglobin levels and recall of recent words and between serum ferritin levels and reading span. These results suggest that
- iron deficiency may impair the performance of everyday activities that involve verbal working memory and
- improvement in iron status may bring about an improvement in verbal working memory performance.