Association Between Iron Deficiency Anemia and Anxiety

Iron is involved in many neurological activities, and its deficiency has been linked to anxiety and depressive symptoms, as well as developmental problems.

Iron deficiency anemia is linked to a variety of psychosocial consequences, including the following: –

• Adverse psychomotor function.
• Reduced work capacity.
• Delayed socioemotional development.
• Psychiatric morbidity, including anxiety disorders, depression, bipolar disorders, sleep disorders, and restless legs syndrome (RLS).

Children who are iron deficient have increased anxiety and/or depression with social and attentional issues.

Human studies have linked anxiety-driven behavior to low iron levels. Anemic infants, for example, show increased fearfulness despite receiving iron therapy.

Children (below age 13) with iron deficiency anemia have a higher risk of anxiety disorders, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), delayed development, and mental retardation.

After entering adolescence (ages 13 to 18), those with iron deficiency anemia had an increased risk of unipolar depressive disorder, bipolar disorder (BD), anxiety disorder, ADHD, delayed development, and mental retardation.

“Whether in childhood or adolescence, iron deficiency has a significant impact on psychiatric comorbidities.”

Furthermore, iron deletion in childhood has both immediate and chronic effects on brain development.

Children with iron deficiency anemia have an increased risk of delayed development and mental retardation, as well as persistent sequelae of cognitive impairment and emotional problems during adolescence.

People with psychological disorders appear to have a lower iron status; for example, serum iron levels in schizophrenics are lower than in normal people.

People suffering from major depression have lower hematocrit and serum transferrin levels.