By Dr Deborah Lee, Dr Fox Online Pharmacy
Did you know that the average IQ is falling? This has been the case for the past few decades. Between 1930-1970, IQ rose by around 3 points per decade in the Western world. This is known as the Flynn effect. But since 1990 the reverse has been happening. The average IQ in the UK is now 98-100.
IQ is not a representation of your natural (genetic) intelligence. It is something that is greatly influenced by factors such as housing, education, healthcare – and diet.
Rise in vitamin and mineral deficiencies
At the same time as the British IQ has been falling, deficiencies in essential micronutrient —specifically vitamin B12, folate, iron, and iodine—have been rising sharply in all age, sex, and economic groups. These vitamins and minerals are vital for central nervous system function, brain cell development, and rapid nerve conduction and signaling.
The UK is in the midst of a micronutrient health crisis
As the quality of the UK diet has been falling, we have seen worsening cognition. This may be because micronutrients like B12, iron, and iodine act as the fuel for electrical signaling and structural integrity in the brain. When these levels fall, cognitive functions, such as how fats our brains process information, memory, and higher brain functions, inevitably suffer. This can cause fatigue, memory loss, poor concentration, and brain fog. Iodine is also vital for reproduction and a healthy pregnancy and delivery.
Which vitamins and mineral levels are falling?
Low vitamin B12
6 -11% of the population, and 20% (1 in 5) of adults over 60, are B12 deficient. B12 is found in red meat and dairy products. We are becoming B12 deficient because we are eating fewer animal products. Between 2008/9 and 2018/19 red meat consumption fell by 37%. The rise in the use of weight loss drugs means we are generally eating smaller quantities of food. Medication such as omeprazole which reduces stomach acids, reduces B12 absorption.
Low folate
A 3% annual decline in blood folate levels was recorded every year between 2008 and 2019, in the 2023 National Diet and Nutrition Survey. Shockingly, 89% of women of childbearing age fall below the recommended serum threshold for neural tube defects. Folate consumption has been decreasing because we eat fewer fresh vegetables, but also as there is less nitrogen in the soil due to intense farming. Boiling and overcooking vegetables lowers their folate content.
Low Iron
Iron deficiency is increasingly common. Hospital admissions for iron deficiency anaemia rose by 72% between 2013/14 and 2017/18. One reason is the fall in red meat consumption, along with the continued high intake of processed and ultra-processed food. These convenience foods contain additives which bind to non-haem iron and reduced absorption of iron from the gut. Having tea and coffee with meals can also reduce iron absorption from food.
Low Iodine
Over half of UK women and girls are now iodine deficient. Dairy products are a major source of iodine, and dairy consumption has fallen by 50% in the past 50 years. Around 25% of adults now use plant milks, some of which do not contain iodine. Table salt in the UK is unfortified, although it is fortified in the EU.
Low iodine leads to an underactive thyroid and low thyroxine levels. Nerve cell growth and myelination requires adequate iodine. Hence iodine is essential for intelligence and cognitive function.
How to improve your nutrition
Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay
You are what you eat. It’s time to eat better and improve your cognitive health.
Here’s some tips to ensure you get enough vitamin and minerals in your diet and help your brain to stay healthy.
- Eat a balanced, varied diet – full of wholefoods, lean protein, healthy fats, dairy produce, wholegrains, along with fresh fruit and vegetables – which are also high in fibre.
- Ditch processed and ultra-processed foods and avoid restrictive diets – The best option is to eat nutrient-dense, whole food diets cooked from scratch. Vegans and vegetarians should take a B12 supplement 10 mcg per day.
- Eat dairy products – which are rich source of protein, calcium, B12 and iodine.
- Eggs are an excellent part of a staple diet – They are protein-rich superfoods and are high in choline used to make the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. They are a good source of vitamin D.
- For most people, best advice is not to rely on supplements – vitamins and minerals are always best absorbed from proper food. It’s better to spend your money on proper food. The exception is if your doctor prescribes supplements for a medical condition. The NHS recommends taking 10 mcg a day of Vitamin D from October to March.
- Eat seasonal, locally grown fruit and veg – Any are good – apples, pears, bananas, and strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries – and veg – green leafy vegetables, broccoli, cabbage, sprouts, kale, and spinach. Steam them rather than boiling them which destroys the vitamin content.
Make sure you get your 5-a day – some now say 10-a day.
- Eat wholegrains – this means brown – bread, rice, or pasta. Not the white alternatives.
- Eat beans, lentils, chickpeas, seeds, and nuts – which are great sources of B vitamins such as folate.
- Eat oily fish once a week – which contains vital omega-3, essential for good brain health. Fish oil supplements are an alternative but eating
