Effect of Nutrients on Cognitive Function during Childhood to Adolescence: A Review

Authors

  • Ankita Sehjpal Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies, Delhi Suraj Kund Road, Sector 43, Faridabad, Haryana 121004, India
  • Divya Sanghi Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies, Delhi Suraj Kund Road, Sector 43, Faridabad, Haryana 121004, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-4247.2025.14.03.10

Keywords:

Macronutrients, micronutrients, cognitive function, supplementation

Abstract

Background: Cognitive functioning and development include making decisions, processing information, and responding properly to the environment. People with healthy brains can identify their skills and modify their cognitive, mental, emotional, and behavioral functions to cope as best they can with various life situations.

Methods: Studies from the last 15 years included from various search engines like Google Scholar, Pubmed, Science Direct, Scopus

Result: The health of the brain is affected by many situations, including illnesses, injuries, mood disorders, substance addiction, and aging-related changes in the brain. There is evidence of numerous changeable lifestyle factors, even though some cannot be changed: Food and exercise, social interaction and mental activity, as well as alcohol and tobacco use, can all help stabilize or enhance deteriorating cognitive performance.

Conclusion: Each macronutrient and micronutrient plays a critical role in supporting cognitive function, and their combined effects may be synergistic due to the interrelated nature of their physiological and biochemical actions.

References

Nyaradi A, Li J, Hickling S, Foster J, Oddy WH. The role of nutrition in children's neurocognitive development, from pregnancy through childhood. Front Hum Neurosci 2013; 7: 97.

Yuko N, Syudo Y, Naohiro O, Shuntaro A, Atsushi N, Kiyoto K, et al. Macronutrient intake is associated with intelligence and neural development in adolescents. Frontiers in Nutrition 2024; 11.

Choi S, Hong DK, Choi BY, Suh SW. Zinc in the Brain: Friend or Foe? Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21(23): 8941.

Muth A-K, Park SQ. The impact of dietary macronutrient intake on cognitive function and the brain. Clinical Nutrition 2021; 40(6): 3999-4010.

Mergenthaler P, Lindauer U, Dienel GA, Meisel A. Sugar for the brain: the role of glucose in physiological and pathological brain function. Trends Neurosci 2013; 36(10): 587-97.

Hawkins MAW, Keirns NG, Helms Z. Carbohydrates and cognitive function. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care 2018; 21(4): 302-307.

Ooi CP, Loke SC, Yassin Z, Hamid TA. Carbohydrates for improving the cognitive performance of independent-living older adults with normal cognition or mild cognitive impairment. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2011; 2011(4): CD007220.

Adams MS, Mensink RP, Joris PJ. Effects of dietary proteins on cognitive performance and brain vascular function in adults: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials. Nutr Res Rev 2024; 1-15.

He W, Wu G. Metabolism of Amino Acids in the Brain and Their Roles in Regulating Food Intake. Adv Exp Med Biol 2020; 1265: 167-185.

Li Y, Li S, Wang W, Zhang D. Association between Dietary Protein Intake and Cognitive Function in Adults Aged 60 Years and Older. J Nutr Health Aging 2020; 24(2): 223-229.

Coelho-Júnior HJ, Calvani R, Landi F, Picca A, Marzetti E. Protein Intake and Cognitive Function in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutr Metab Insights 2021; 14: 11786388211022373.

Grima NA, Pase MP, Macpherson H, Pipingas A. The effects of multivitamins on cognitive performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Alzheimers Dis 2012; 29(3): 561-9.

Bloemendaal M, Froböse MI, Wegman J, Zandbelt BB, van de Rest O, Cools R, et al. Neuro-Cognitive Effects of Acute Tyrosine Administration on Reactive and Proactive Response Inhibition in Healthy Older Adults. eNeuro 2018; 5(2): ENEURO.0035-17.2018.

Hase A, Jung SE, Aan het Rot M. Behavioral and cognitive effects of tyrosine intake in healthy human adults. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2015; 133: 1-6.

Kühn S, Düzel S, Colzato L, Norman K, Gallinat J, Brandmaier AM, et al. Food for thought: Association between dietary tyrosine and cognitive performance in younger and older adults. Psychological Research 2019; 83: 1097-1106.

Jenkins TA, Nguyen JC, Polglaze KE, Bertrand PP. Influence of Tryptophan and Serotonin on Mood and Cognition with a Possible Role of the Gut-Brain Axis. Nutrients 2016; 8(1): 56.

Garcia-Iborra M, Castanys-Munoz E, Oliveros E, Ramirez M. Optimal Protein Intake in Healthy Children and Adolescents: Evaluating Current Evidence. Nutrients 2023; 15(7): 1683.

Chianese R, Coccurello R, Viggiano A, Scafuro M, Fiore M, Coppola G, et al. Impact of Dietary Fats on Brain Functions. Curr Neuropharmacol 2018; 16(7): 1059-1085.

Tyagi E, Zhuang Y, Agrawal R, Ying Z, Gomez-Pinilla F. Interactive actions of Bdnf methylation and cell metabolism for building neural resilience under the influence of diet. Neurobiol Dis 2015; 73: 307-318.

Dighriri IM, Alsubaie AM, Hakami FM, Hamithi DM, Alshekh MM, Khobrani FA, et al. Effects of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on Brain Functions: A Systematic Review. Cureus 2022; 14(10): e30091.

Long SJ, Benton D. Effects of vitamin and mineral supplementation on stress, mild psychiatric symptoms, and mood in nonclinical samples: a meta-analysis. Psychosom Med 2013; 75(2): 144-53.

Kim JY, Kang SW. Relationships between Dietary Intake and Cognitive Function in Healthy Korean Children and Adolescents. J Lifestyle Med 2017; 7(1): 10-17.

Jatoi S, Hafeez A, Riaz SU, Ali A, Ghauri MI, Zehra M. Low Vitamin B12 Levels: An Underestimated Cause of Minimal Cognitive Impairment And Dementia. Cureus 2020; 12(2): e6976.

Aguilar-Navarro SG, Carbajal-Silva JC, Palacios-Hernández MGI, Gutiérrez-Gutierrez LA, Ávila-Funes JA, Mimenza-Alvarado AJ. Association between vitamin B12 levels and cognitive impairment in older adults. Gac Med Mex 2023; 159(1): 32-37.

Swaminathan S, Edward B, Kurpad, A. Micronutrient deficiency and cognitive and physical performance in Indian children. Eur J Clin Nutr 2013; 67: 467-474.

Singh S, Awasthi S, Kumar D, Sarraf SR, Pandey AK, Agarwal GG, et al. Micronutrients and cognitive functions among urban school-going children and adolescents: A cross-sectional multicentric study from India. PLoS One 2023; 18(2): e0281247.

Denniss RJ, Barker LA, Day CJ. Improvement in Cognition Following Double-blind Randomized Micronutrient Interventions in the General Population. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13: 115.

Grodstein F, O'Brien J, Kang JH, Dushkes R, Cook NR, Okereke O, et al. Long-term multivitamin supplementation and cognitive function in men: a randomized trial. Ann Intern Med 2013; 159(12): 806-14.

ICMR-NIN Expert Group on Nutrient Requirement for Indians, Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) and Estimated Average Requirements (EAR) – 2020.

Lam LF, Lawlis TR. Feeding the brain - The effects of micronutrient interventions on cognitive performance among school-aged children: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Clin Nutr 2017; 36(4): 1007-1014.

Khor GL, Misra S. Micronutrient interventions on cognitive performance of children aged 5-15 years in developing countries. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 2012; 21(4): 476-86.

Marshall S, Burrows T, Collins C. Systematic review of diet quality indices and their associations with health-related outcomes in children and adolescents. J Hum Nutr Diet 2014; 27(6): 577-98.

Twig G, Tirosh A, Derazne E, et al. Cognitive function in adolescence and the risk for premature diabetes and cardiovascular mortality in adulthood. Cardiovasc Diabetol 2018; 17: 154.

White DJ, Cox KH, Peters R, Pipingas A, Scholey AB. Effects of Four-Week Supplementation with a Multivitamin/Mineral Preparation on Mood and Blood Biomarkers in Young Adults: A Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Nutrients 2015; 7(11): 9005-17.

Wirt A, Collins CE. Diet quality – what is it, and does it matter? Public Health Nutr 2009; 12(12): 2473-92.

Lam LF, Lawlis TR. Feeding the brain – The effects of micronutrient interventions on cognitive performance among school-aged children: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Clinical Nutrition 2017; 36(4): 1007-1014.

de O. Tavares VD, Rossell SL, Schuch FB, Herring M, de Sousa GM, Galvão-Coelho NL, Hallgren M. Effects of exercise on cognitive functioning in adults with serious mental illness: A meta-analytic review. Psychiatry Research 2023; 321.

Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Military Nutrition Research. The Role of Protein and Amino Acids in Sustaining and Enhancing Performance. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 1999. 14, Amino Acid and Protein Requirements: Cognitive Performance, Stress, and Brain Function. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK224629

Bazinet RP, Layé S. Polyunsaturated fatty acids and their metabolites in brain function and disease. Nature Reviews Neuroscience 2014; 15(12): 771-85.

Zhang J, Hebert JR, Muldoon MF. Dietary Fat Intake Is Associated with Psychosocial and Cognitive Functioning of School-Aged Children in the United States1. The Journal of Nutrition 2005; 135 (8): 1967-1973.

Zhou L. Association of vitamin B2 intake with cognitive performance in older adults: a cross-sectional study. J Transl Med 2023; 21(1): 870.

Gasperi V, Sibilano M, Savini I, Catani MV. Niacin in the Central Nervous System: An Update of Biological Aspects and Clinical Applications. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20(4): 974.

Lee JH, Ahn SY, Lee HA, Won KS, Chang HW, Oh JS, Kim HW. Dietary intake of pantothenic acid is associated with cerebral amyloid burden in patients with cognitive impairment. Food Nutr Res 2018; 62.

Kennedy DO. B Vitamins and the Brain: Mechanisms, Dose, and Efficacy-A Review. Nutrients 2016; 8(2): 68.

Enderami A, Zarghami M, Darvishi-Khezri H. The effects and potential mechanisms of folic acid on cognitive function: a comprehensive review. Neurol Sci 2018; 39(10): 1667-1675.

Travica N, Ried K, Sali A, Scholey A, Hudson I, Pipingas A. Vitamin C Status and Cognitive Function: A Systematic Review. Nutrients 2017; 9(9): 960.

Plevin D, Galletly C. The neuropsychiatric effects of vitamin C deficiency: a systematic review. BMC Psychiatry 2020; 20: 315.

Anjum I, Jaffery SS, Fayyaz M, Samoo Z, Anjum S. The Role of Vitamin D in Brain Health: A Mini Literature Review. Cureus 2018; 10(7): e2960.

Committee on Psychological Testing, Including Validity Testing, for Social Security Administration Disability Determinations; Board on the Health of Select Populations; Institute of Medicine. Psychological Testing in the Service of Disability Determination. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2015 Jun 29. 5, Cognitive Tests and Performance Validity test. from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK305230/

Douglas A, Letts L, Eva K, Richardson J. Use of the cognitive performance test for identifying deficits in hospitalized older adults. Rehabil Res Pract 2012; 2012: 638480.

van der Zwaluw NL, van de Rest O, Tieland M, Adam JJ, Hiddink GJ, van Loon LJ, de Groot LC. The impact of protein supplementation on cognitive performance in frail elderly. Eur J Nutr 2014; 53(3): 803-12.

Published

2025-08-01

Issue

Section

General Articles

How to Cite

Effect of Nutrients on Cognitive Function during Childhood to Adolescence: A Review. (2025). International Journal of Child Health and Nutrition, 14(3), 292-306. https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-4247.2025.14.03.10

Similar Articles

21-30 of 38

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.