Proper iron levels are essential to good health. Iron is needed to carry oxygen throughout the blood. With such a fundamental purpose, deficiencies can affect several areas of health and well-being. One of these areas is your mood. Supplementation with iron may help to dispel moodiness. However, talk to your doctor before beginning an iron supplementation regimen.
Vigor
If you are iron-deficient, supplementation may help turn your mood in a more positive direction. In a study published in May 2007 in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," a group of female iron-deficient, anemic soldiers in military training were supplemented with 100 mg of iron. On a clinical mood measure, the soldier scores increased. They were found to have more vigor and even had faster running times.
Neurons
Iron can affect your mood because it is a critical trace metal for brain cell health. For one, it helps create the energy that neurons, or brain cells, use to perform functions. It is also responsible for cell division and myelination. Myelination is the formation of a protective coating around nerve cells that helps to speed up nerve impulses sent throughout your brain.
Dopamine
Iron is required for the creation of neurotransmitters in the brain. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that regulate functions of the body including how you feel. Iron is needed for the formation of the neurotransmitter dopamine, according to the researchers in the study published in January 2010 in the "Future of Medicinal Chemistry." With low dopamine, you can experience moodiness.
Need
Infants, children and women of child-bearing age are the most likely to have an iron deficiency, according to an article published in January 2010 in "Future of Medicinal Chemistry." According to the authors, irritability in infants and children is a strong indicator of an iron deficiency. For adults and teens, they recommend taking 100 to 180 mg of the ferrous sulphate form of iron on an empty stomach 30 to 60 minutes prior to a meal.
References
- "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Iron Supplementation in Female Soldiers During Military Training: Effects on Iron Status, Physical Performance, and Mood; James P McClung et al.; May 2009
- "Future of Medicinal Chemistry"; Mechanisms of Brain Iron Transport: Insight into Neurodegeneration and CNS Disorders; Eric Mills et al.; January 2010
- "Future of Medicinal Chemistry"; Iron Deficiency (ID) and Iron Deficiency Anaemia (IDA), E.P.G. Mansvelt; January 2010
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