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Anxiety, Depression, Taken Iron Supplements. Anxiety Due To Overdose Of Iron?

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Posted on Fri, 1 Jun 2012
Question: Hi, I am just curious if to much iron can cause deppression and negative thoughts? The reason is that last week I took some iron supplements for a couple of days and I started to get anxious and deppressive thoughts in my head for no reason. Can this be the brains way to signal that the body has enough iron? I have Now stopped taking this supplement pills, but I am curious about this.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Ashish Mittal (1 hour later)
Hello,

Thanks for your query.

I appreciate your efforts for medical consultation at right time.

Important aspects of your query are:
•     21 years old male
•     Onset of symptoms: After iron use
•     Symptoms of anxiety and depressive thoughts

Main side effects of iron are diarrhoea, constipation and abdominal cramps. Anxiety and depressive thoughts are not signal for enough iron in body. But in spite of all these your symptoms are temporally related to iron use.

I need following information to help you better:
•     What was the reason for iron use
•     Total duration of iron use
•     Name and dose of iron supplement
•     Duration of anxiety and depressive thoughts
•     Your sleep and appetite
•     Impact on social and academic functions because of symptoms

Waiting for your reply,

Wishing you good health.

Regards,

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Ashish Mittal (40 hours later)
Hey again. The reason for my iron use was lack of energy and tiredness. I used it almost every day for about one week. It was a standard iron supplement bought at my local food store. I think the dosage was about 20 mg, which I suppose is low. After 3 days of using the supplement I got headache combined with unable to concentrate on reading. I also felt a bit restless and stress. Than some days later the negative thoughts came to my mind, and i got mild deppresion. Now its wednesday and I have not taken the supplement since friday. I feel normal again, and I can relax without having those bad thoughts in my mind. I must also say that I might have hypogonadism, and my self-esteem and strenght has generally been low the past month. That might add to my deppresion. My sleep and appetite has been bad, so has my libido. Luckily this didn't have any big impact on my social life or studying. But it has been some pretty hard weeks for me to handle this, because I am young and used to be healthy all the time. Tomorrow I am going to see my doctor, and I hope we get things sorted out.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Ashish Mittal (9 hours later)
Hello again,

Thanks for providing the necessary information.

It seems that you might been suffering from iron or other vitamin deficiency leading to anemia and depressive symptoms.Anaemia may be the reason for depressive symptoms. Iron supplements are treating anemia and thus the depressive thoughts.

I suggest you to get investigation like complete blood count, thyroid profile, liver and kidney function test to rule out other causes of depression.

Iron supplements by means of correcting anemia, may be treating the problem.

Hope this is helpful and answers your query.

Wishing you good health.

Regards,

Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
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Answered by
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Dr. Ashish Mittal

Psychiatrist

Practicing since :2004

Answered : 1859 Questions

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Anxiety, Depression, Taken Iron Supplements. Anxiety Due To Overdose Of Iron?

Hello,

Thanks for your query.

I appreciate your efforts for medical consultation at right time.

Important aspects of your query are:
•     21 years old male
•     Onset of symptoms: After iron use
•     Symptoms of anxiety and depressive thoughts

Main side effects of iron are diarrhoea, constipation and abdominal cramps. Anxiety and depressive thoughts are not signal for enough iron in body. But in spite of all these your symptoms are temporally related to iron use.

I need following information to help you better:
•     What was the reason for iron use
•     Total duration of iron use
•     Name and dose of iron supplement
•     Duration of anxiety and depressive thoughts
•     Your sleep and appetite
•     Impact on social and academic functions because of symptoms

Waiting for your reply,

Wishing you good health.

Regards,