Check Your Iron: Keep Your Mind Sharp

Taking iron supplements could increase brain power for iron-deficient women, according to a 2007 study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Results showed that after 16 weeks of treatment for iron deficiency, participants performed five to seven times better on cognitive tasks.
Low iron -- the most common nutritional deficiency in the United States -- typically triggers symptoms such as fatigue and a decrease in work performance. But overloading on iron can lead to organ damage, cautions Martha Clare Morris, director of the Rush Center on Nutrition and Aging, so it's crucial to supplement only under the supervision of a doctor.