Iron Supplements & Anti Depressants

Iron-deficiency anemia and clinical depression share some of the same symptoms. Both conditions may cause fatigue, lethargy and impaired concentration. Your doctor might prescribe antidepressants to treat your depression or iron supplements to treat your iron-deficiency anemia. While some studies indicate a link between iron supplementation and improved mental state, National Institutes of Health online medical encyclopedia Medline Plus states that researchers lack sufficient evidence to prove that iron supplementation cures depression.

Cause and Effect

Linking depression with iron-deficiency anemia creates a cause-and-effect question. An international team of researchers tackled the question in 2007. Their study results indicate that major depressive disorders and eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia are often comorbid conditions, meaning that they may occur simultaneously in the same person. The "Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry" published the study. Since an eating disorder reduces the nutrient content of food, it may also cause an iron deficiency.

Iron Deficiency and Depression

Menstruating women and people suffering with gastrointestinal diseases such as Crohn's and colitis are particularly susceptible to the blood loss that may cause iron deficiency anemia. Iron supplementation might treat the anemia, but whether iron effectively treats the depression that eventually caused the eating disorder, which in turn created an iron deficiency, has not been determined. Some therapists may use antidepressants and psychotherapy to treat the depression. Iron supplements cause constipation, nausea, diarrhea and bloating in some people, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. Seek your physician's guidance before taking iron supplements.

Iron and Attention Span

Trouble thinking, concentrating and making decisions exemplify typical symptoms of depression, says MayoClinic.com, but Agricultural Research Service physiologist Mary J. Kretsch also found a link between concentration level and iron deficiency. Kretsch conducted a 20-week study with eight healthy men, ages 27 to 47 years, and reported that a low attention span corresponded with a marked decline in iron levels in the body. Since none of the subjects were evaluated for depression, it is not known whether antidepressants would have improved concentration level.

Choosing a Treatment

Iron levels also influence performance, according to a 2009 study published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition." Lead author James P. McClung reported that iron supplementation improved mood and cognitive and physical performance in female soldiers during military training. Despite these findings, the decision to treat depression and cognitive difficulties with iron supplementation, as well as the decision to ask your doctor to prescribe antidepressants requires careful examination. Start with an overall evaluation of your physical and mental health and make an informed decision based on weighing the risks and rewards of each type of treatment.