Iron, Zinc, Dietary Beef and Cognition

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Iron, Zinc, Dietary Beef and Cognition

• A Review Of The Research

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You are what you eat?
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Nutrition and Academic Performance

• Even short-term deficiencies affect performance
• Hunger interferes with the ability to learn
• US government development and support of school
  breakfast and lunch programs

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Foods, Dietary Patterns and Cognition

• Diet quality
• Protein/energy malnutrition
• Iron deficiency
• Zinc deficiency
• Increased intake of foods high in bioavailable
  iron and zinc, like beef, may improve cognition

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Irons Role in Cognitive Development and
Functioning
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Iron Deficiency
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Iron Status and Cognition
Holst M-C. Developmental and behavioral effects
of iron deficiency anemia in infants. Nutrition
Today 1998 3327-36.
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Animal Studies Link Iron and Cognition
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Human Studies Link Iron and Cognition
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Iron Deficiency in Infants and Toddlers

• During the first two years of life, complex
  postnatal neural changes occur in the human brain.

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Iron Deficiency inInfants and Toddlers

• Iron deficiency during this time can lead to
• Withdrawal
• Inability to respond to the environment
• Poor motor function
• Poor mental function

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Increasing Iron Intake Improves Mental
Development Scores in Toddlers
Mean Mental Development Score Before and After
Treatment with Ferrous Sulfate in 12 to 18 Month
Infants
Idjradinata P, Pollitt E. Reversal of
developmental delays in iron-deficient anaemic
infants treated with iron. Lancet 1993 341 1-4.
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Early Iron Deficiency May Not be Reversible

• Iron deficiency during formative years may have
  prolonged adverse effects on cognition
• Infants with iron deficiency anemia may have
  lower mental development scores up to a decade
  later
• More research is needed on the reversibility of
  these affects

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Iron Deficiency in Preschool Children

• Poor performance on cognitive tests involving
• Short-term memory
• Attention
• Visual problem solving

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Iron Deficiency in Primary School Children and
Adolescents

• Associated with cognitive impairment or poor
  academic performance
• Increasing iron intake improves cognitive
  function
• Brain development may continue into early
  childhood and adolescence

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Iron Deficiency in Adulthood

• Decreased attention span
• During pregnancy
• Fewer learning experiences
• Compromised development
• Weight Loss

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Zincs Role in Cognitive Development and
Functioning
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Zinc Deficiency
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Zinc and Cognition

• Zinc is essential for
• Development and functioning of brain
• Zinc dependent enzymes and neurotransmitters play
  a role in the central nervous system
• May in turn affect cognition

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Animal Studies Link Zinc to Cognition

• Zinc deficiency in animals can lead to
• Structural malformations in the brain
• Changes in enzymes and proteins important for
  neurotransmission
• Behavioral problems
• Reduced attention
• Reduced memory
• Reduced ability to learn

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Human Studies Link Zinc to Cognition

• Emerging research on human models supports a
  beneficial role for zinc in human cognitive
  development and functioning

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The Effect of Nutritional Deficiencies on Zincs
Cognitive Benefits
Sandstead HH, Penland JG, Alcock NW, Dayal HH,
Chen XC, Li JS, Zhao F, Yang JJ. Effects of
repletion with zinc and other micronutrients on
neuropsychologic performance and growth of
Chinese children. Am J Clin Nutr. 1998 68
470s-475s.
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Other Reasons for Conflicting Findings

• Specific cognitive task examined
• Social factors can influence the link between
  zinc status and cognition
• Age
• Interactions with mother
• Interactions with other family members

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Zinc Deficiency in Adulthood

• Zinc status during pregnancy may affect the
  development of the infants nervous system and
  later cognitive functioning
• In older adults (aged 65-90)
• Dietary zinc positively linked to cognitive
  function
• Low levels of zinc in the blood and brain tissues
  of patients with Alzheimers

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Can Diet Affect Cognitive Performance?
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Meeting Iron and Zinc Needs
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Sources of Iron in the U.S. Food Supply
10.6 Meat
Gerrior S, Bente L. Nutrient Content of the U.S.
Food Supply, 1909-94. Home Economics Research
Report No. 53. 1997. U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Center for Nutrition Policy and
Promotion.
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Sources of Zinc in the U.S. Food Supply
30.4 Meat
Gerrior S, Bente L. Nutrient Content of the U.S.
Food Supply, 1909-94. Home Economics Research
Report No. 53. 1997. U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Center for Nutrition Policy and
Promotion.
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Contribution of Various Food Groups to Iron and
Zinc Intake
National Live Stock and Meat Board. Eating in
America Today. A Dietary Pattern and Intake
Report Commissioned by the National Live Stock
and Meat Board. Edition II. Chicago, IL
National Live Stock and Meat Board, 1994.
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Food Sources of Iron and Zinc

• Beef is a major source of iron and zinc for
  American children and adults
• Number one source of zinc
• Number three source of iron
• Only enriched breads and cereals provide more
  iron to the US food supply than beef

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Beef Is a Source of Readily Available Iron

• Meat group foods contain heme iron
• Two-to-three times more absorbable than non-heme
  iron, found in grains, fruits, eggs and dairy
  products
• Enhancing non-heme iron absorption
• Meat factor
• Vitamin C
• Inhibiting non-heme iron absorption
• Polyphenols
• Phytates

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Zinc Absorption
Zheng JJ, Mason JB, Rosenberg IH, et al.
Measurement of zinc bioavailability from beef and
a ready-to-eat breakfast cereal in humans
application of a whole-gut lavage technique. Am
J Clin Nutr. 1993 58 902-907.
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Beef As a First Weaning Food?

• Conventional wisdom meats are added to infants
  diets after fruits and vegetables
• Research shows offering small amounts of beef as
  an early weaning food increased growth on infants
• Researchers recommend meats be introduced to
  infants as an early weaning food

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Recommended Dietary Allowances
National Research Council, Subcommittee on the
Tenth Edition of the RDAs, Food and Nutrition
Board, Commission on Life Sciences, Recommended
Dietary Allowances. 10th ed. 1989. Washington
DC National Academy Press.
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U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Food Guide
Pyramid. Home and Garden Bulletin No. 252. 1992.
Hyattsville, MD USDA, Human Nutrition
Information Service.
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Nutrition education programs are funded by
beef producers through their 1-per-head checkoff
program and are managed for the Cattlemens Beef
Board and state beef Councils by the National
Cattlemens Beef Association. The national beef
checkoff is administered by the Cattlemens Beef
Promotion and Research Board. This 110-member
board is appointed by the Secretary of
Agriculture to oversee the collection of the
1-per-head checkoff, certify state beef
Councils, implement the provisions of the Federal
Order establishing the checkoff and evaluate the
effectiveness of checkoff programs. Producer-dir
ected and consumer-focused, the National
Cattlemens Beef Association is the trade
association of Americas cattle farmers and
ranchers, and the marketing organization for the
largest segment of the nations food and fiber
industry.