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2011
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73 citations Research paper

Association between serum ferritin concentrations and depressive symptoms in Japanese municipal employees

Siyan Yi, Akiko Nanri, Kalpana Poudel‐Tandukar, Daisuke Nonaka, Yumi Matsushita, Ai Hori,

Summary & key facts

Researchers measured blood iron stores and mood symptoms in 312 men and 216 women who worked for two city offices in Japan. They used a common questionnaire to find people with depressive symptoms. Men with the lowest blood iron stores were more likely to have depressive symptoms than men with the highest iron stores. The same link did not show up in women. The study only shows an association at one point in time, so it cannot prove that low iron causes low mood.

Key facts:
  • The study measured serum ferritin, a blood marker of how much iron the body stores, and depressive symptoms in 312 men and 216 women working in two municipal offices in Japan.
  • Depressive symptoms were identified using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale and a cut-off score of 19 or higher to flag symptoms.
  • In men, those in the lowest quarter of ferritin levels had roughly three times the odds of depressive symptoms compared with men in the highest quarter, after adjusting for age and workplace.
  • After adjusting for multiple other factors, the increased odds for men in the lowest ferritin quarter remained about threefold, but the estimate was uncertain and the confidence range was wide.
  • There was no clear link between ferritin levels and depressive symptoms in women in this sample.
  • Because the study looked at people at a single point in time, it cannot show that low iron caused the depressive symptoms. The findings apply to middle-aged Japanese municipal workers and may not apply to other groups.

Topics

Biochemical effects in animals Folate and B Vitamins Research Iron Metabolism and Disorders

Categories

Health Sciences Medicine Rheumatology

Tags

Anxiety Association (psychology) Depressive symptoms Environmental health Ferritin Internal medicine Medicine Psychiatry Psychology Psychotherapist Serum ferritin

Conditions & symptoms

Anxiety Depression Lack of energy or motivation Sadness or low mood
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