Iron deficiency linked to psychiatric disorders in kids

Children and adolescents with iron deficiency anemia (IDA) are at increased risk for psychiatric disorders, including depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, and autism, new research from BMC Psychiatry shows.
According to the authors, "When encountering those with IDA in clinical practice, prompt iron supplementation should be considered to prevent possible psychiatric sequelae, and vice versa, psychiatrists should check the iron level in those children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders."

IDA is the most prevalent nutritional deficiency in industrialized countries. Iron plays a key role in brain development, including myelination of white matter and the development and functioning of the different neurotransmitter systems, including the dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin systems.