title: Improvements in iron status and cognitive function in young women consuming beef or non-beef lunches.
abstract: Iron status is associated with cognitive performance and intervention trials show that iron supplementation improves mental function in iron-deficient adults. However, no studies have tested the efficacy of naturally iron-rich food in this context. This investigation measured the hematologic and cognitive responses to moderate beef consumption in young women. Participants (n=43; age 21.1±0.4 years) were randomly assigned to a beef or non-beef protein lunch group [3-oz (85 g), 3 times weekly] for 16 weeks. Blood was sampled at baseline, and weeks 8 and 16, and cognitive performance was measured at baseline and week 16. Body iron increased in both lunch groups (p<0.0001), with greater improvement demonstrated in women with lower baseline body iron (p<0.0001). Body iron had significant beneficial effects on spatial working memory and planning speed (p<0.05), and ferritin responders (n=17) vs. non-responders (n=26) showed significantly greater improvements in planning speed, spatial working memory strategy, and attention (p<0.05). Lunch group had neither significant interactions with iron status nor consistent main effects on test performance. These findings support a relationship between iron status and cognition, but do not show a particular benefit of beef over non-beef protein consumption on either measure in young women.
authors.affiliation: Dietetic Programs, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID 83209, USA. blancynt@isu.edu.
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Blanton
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D000886:Anthropometry; D001288:Attention; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002417:Cattle; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D019266:Iron, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood*; D008460:Meat; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019266:Iron, Dietary; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D005293:Ferritins