Iron Status is Associated with Mood, Cognition, and Functional Ability in Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Carlos Portugal-Nunes,Nuno Sousa,Nadine Correia Santos,Fernanda Marques,Pedro Silva Moreira,Liliana Amorim,Joana Almeida Palha,Teresa Costa Castanho,José Mariz

doi:10.3390/nu12113594

Carlos Portugal-Nunes, Nuno Sousa + Show 7 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12113594

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Abstract

Several conditions are risk factors for iron deficiency (ID), some of which are highly prevalent in older individuals. Despite the amount of evidence pointing for a role of ID in cognition, mood and physical functional ability, the research addressing these associations in older individuals is still scarce. In the present study, 162 older community-dwelling individuals (29.53% classified as ID) were enrolled in a cross-sectional analysis and characterized regarding cognition, mood, functional ability, general nutritional intake and iron status. Assessment of iron status was performed using several blood biomarkers. Storage and erythropoiesis dimensions were positively associated with memory, along with an interaction (moderator effect) between iron storage and nutritional status. A more depressed mood was negatively associated with (iron) transport, transport saturation and erythropoiesis dimensions, and functional tiredness was positively associated with the erythropoiesis dimension. These observations indicate that lower iron status is associated with depressive mood, functional tiredness and poorer memory ability, with the latter moderated by nutritional status. These findings suggest that using iron as a continuous variable may be useful in finding associations with iron homeostasis, eventually missed when iron levels are considered within the usual classification groups.

Highlights

Imbalance in iron homeostasis, both excess and deficiency, are deleterious to human health and have been associated with medical conditions; these include neurodegenerative disorders (i.e., Parkinson and Alzheimer diseases), type II diabetes, and anemia [1,2,3]
Height was significantly higher in the iron sufficient which can be attributed to the differences in gender distribution since more male individuals were in this group
Iron sufficient participants presented a statistically significant higher score in the MNA; yet, no significant differences in the distribution of risk of malnutrition was observed between iron sufficient and iron deficiency (ID) participants

Summary

Introduction

Both excess and deficiency, are deleterious to human health and have been associated with medical conditions; these include neurodegenerative disorders (i.e., Parkinson and Alzheimer diseases), type II diabetes, and anemia [1,2,3]. The World Health Organization estimates that more individuals have ID anemia than any other health problem [5]. The rise of life expectancy in the last century has led to an increase of the older population worldwide [6]. This current demographic and societal phenomenon will result in an increasing number. Nutrients 2020, 12, 3594 of older individuals with various age-associated health problems and pathologies [7,8]. Of relevant note, several morbidities (e.g., gastric and duodenal ulcers, adenomatous polyps and erosive gastritis) and therapeutic drugs (e.g., antacids, H2 antagonists, proton pump inhibitors, aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug), that are prevalent in older individuals, are possible causes of ID [10]

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