Being a female athlete has its positives and negatives (mostly positives). With regard to iron deficiency, it can be a double whammy since, as a pre-menopausal woman, you lose blood (and thus iron) every month, and as an athlete, you may have an increased need for iron. Hard training speeds up red blood cell production and thus the need for iron in those cells. You also lose iron through sweat. Those who don’t eat red meat are even more at risk for iron deficiency which is the most common nutritional deficiency in the US particularly among children and women up to age 50.
What does iron do for your body? It helps get oxygen to your muscles. Without it, the red blood cells can’t grab onto oxygen and distribute it throughout your body. With less oxygen going to your muscles and brain, your performance suffers. Your brain will be deprived as well so you find it hard to concentrate and feel tired. Cells which fight infection are also dependent upon iron. In addition iron is also used in chemical reactions that help fuel your body.
Sports anemia is often used to describe a low-iron state. Symptoms include a reduced desire to train, increased heart rate, decreased oxygen consumption, fatigue and increased blood lactic acid (so recovery slows). You may also have a poor appetite and be more susceptible to colds and infections. You may get injured more often. Fingernails may become thin, brittle, and white.
What else does this sounds like? Overtraining! How do you know the difference? You don’t. Your doctor will, however, through a blood test. How do you treat the problem? Increasing your dietary iron intake will suffice unless your deficiency is severe. Again, only your doctor will be able to tell you whether you need iron supplements. Just as too little of something is bad, too much can be just as bad if not worse. You may put yourself at a higher risk of cancer and heart disease. And, unless an athlete is iron deficient, supplementation will not improve performance.
RDA recommendations for women and teens is 15 mg per day. Endurance athletes should shoot for a little more at about 18 mg per day.
What foods are rich in iron? Foods from animals such as red meat, liver, and poultry and fish are better absorbed than foods from plants such as fruits, vegetables, dried beans, nuts and grains. Most grain foods such as cereals, pasta, rice and bread are fortified with heme iron, the type of iron from animals, and make a good alternative to meats and fish.
Cooking in a cast iron skillet or pot can increase the level of iron in food by as much as 20 times, although this type of iron may not be well absorbed. Acidic foods such as chili and spaghetti sauce are especially good at leaching out the iron from cooking pots. The longer the food cooks in the pot, the more iron is absorbed.
Pairing food consumption with Vitamin C-rich foods also increases absorption. Skip the caffeine with your next meal, however, as it reduces iron absorption.
For more ideas about where to get iron in your diet, check out the following websites:
http://sandiegobloodbank.org/donating_blood/iron_rich_foods.php
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