Multiple micronutrient supplementation for improving cognitive performance in children: systematic review of randomized controlled trials
Open accessAbstract
Background Although multiple micronutrient interventions have been shown to benefit children's intellectual development, a thorough evaluation of the totality of evidence is currently lacking to direct public health policy.Objective This study aimed to systematically review the present literature and to quantify the effect of multiple micronutrients on cognitive performance in schoolchildren.Methods The Institute for Scientific Information Web of Knowledge and local medical databases were searched for trials published from 1970 to 2008. Randomized controlled trials that investigated the effect of > or =3 micronutrients compared with placebo on cognition in healthy children aged 0-18 y were included following protocol. Data were extracted by 2 independent researchers. The cognitive tests used in the trials were grouped into several cognitive domains (eg, fluid and crystallized intelligence), and pooled effect size estimates were calculated per domain. Heterogeneity was explored through sensitivity and meta-regression techniques.Results Three trials were retrieved in children aged <5 y, and 17 trials were retrieved in children aged 5-16 y. For the older children, pooled random-effect estimates for intervention were 0.14 SD (95% CI: -0.02, 0.29; P = 0.083) for fluid intelligence and -0.03 SD (95% CI: -0.21, 0.15; P = 0.74) for crystallized intelligence, both of which were based on 12 trials. Four trials yielded an overall effect of 0.30 SD (95% CI: 0.01, 0.58; P = 0.044) for academic performance. For other cognitive domains, no significant effects were found.Conclusions Multiple micronutrient supplementation may be associated with a marginal increase in fluid intelligence and academic performance in healthy schoolchildren but not with crystallized intelligence. More research is required, however, before public health recommendations can be given.
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Supplements and foods fortified with at least 3 micronutrients, such as iron and zinc, are associated with improved cognitive performance.
“supplements and foods fortified with ≥3 micronutrients (eg, iron and zinc) were associated with improved cognitive performance.42”
From Critical connections: health and academics (2015) · cites this paper as [42]
Published systematic reviews or meta-analyses in the area most often confirmed favorable effects for micronutrient interventions.
“Published in the last few years, they most often confirmed favorable effects for micronutrient interventions.”
From Vitamins and Minerals for Energy, Fatigue and Cognition: A Narrative Review of the Biochemical and Clinical Evidence (2020) · cites this paper as [216]
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- Authors
- Eilander, A., Gera, T., Sachdev, H. S., Transler, C., van der Knaap, H. C., Kok, F. J., & Osendarp, S. J.
- Affiliations
- Sitaram Bhartia Institute of Science and Research (IN)
- Corresponding author
- Eilander, Ans
- Venue
- The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2010-01
- Volume
- 91
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 115-130
- ISSN
- 0002-9165 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2106739951
- Cited by
- 148
- References
- 52
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 13
- FWCI
- 1.27
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Socio-Environmental Systems Modeling (acceptedVersion)
- Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Funders
- Wageningen University and Research
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Child Nutrition and Water Access
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Trace Elements in Health
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
- Keywords
- multiple micronutrient supplementation, cognitive performance, elementary school students, fluid intelligence, crystallized intelligence, academic performance, child cognitive development, micronutrients
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Child, Child, Preschool, Cognition, Humans, Intelligence, Placebos, Vitamins, Multicenter Studies as Topic, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Patient Selection, Micronutrients, Dietary Supplements
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