Are Iron Supplements Necessary: Athletic Performance, Exercise, and Anemia Facts

In a previous article I discussed whether or not nutritional supplements are necessary for maximum fitness. The general scientific consensus was that the smart way to go is to get your nutrient needs from eating nutritionally balanced meals. Supplements were deemed fairly unnecessary. However, there are certain situations that may call for the addition of specific supplements to your daily diet. Let’s start by taking a look at iron.

Many endurance athletes, especially female endurance athletes and females who engage in active exercise routines are susceptible to iron deficiency. Why?

• Iron can be excreted through sweat.
• Muscles demand iron for proper aerobic metabolism.
• Some active individuals are prone to tiny amounts of blood loss through the digestive track.
• When red blood cells squash (I know it sounds weird; stay with me), iron can be lost. Your red blood cells are squashed often, you just don’t know it. Say you jump up in the air and come pounding down. When your foot makes contact with the ground the impact of the pounding pressure on body tissue (in this case your foot) has made a high impact connection with the ground, a usually unyielding surface and thus squashing occurs.
• Vegetarian eating is all the rage. And it can be a healthy lifestyle choice. But the downside is that some vegetarians don’t meet with a nutrition expert or research the proper way to get iron in a vegetarian diet. Plant-based diets are heavy on nonheme iron which is not absorbed as readily as heme iron in meat, or animal food products. The upside of the vegetarian diet in this situation is that these diets are usually high in vitamin C, which helps to increase iron absorption.

Why is iron important? How can a lack of iron hurt your performance?

• Iron helps to deliver oxygen to your muscles.
• A lack of oxygen will impair your aerobic workout capacity. You may tire easily, or not feel up to a workout at all.
• The current research is not conclusive. Some scientists think that small iron deficits (deficits that don’t result in anemia) may not hinder aerobic ability. Other’s think that even with a lack of clinical anemia signs you still may be putting your performance at risk. Further research is necessary – but why take chances? It’s best to assume that iron is important.
• A lack of iron can promote the development of iron-deficient anemia.

Anemia facts:

• Anemia is present in about 14% of women and 8% of men (aged 3-74) in the US.
• Anemia develops when there is a greater demand on iron than is being supplied.
• This condition can be brought on by various issues like pregnancy, blood loss, or as discussed above large amounts of aerobic activity.
• Classic symptoms of anemia are fatigue and labored or difficulty breathing during heavy exertion. Of course any such issues should always be discussed with a doctor because you just can’t self-diagnose or assume that you have anemia – numerous other issues can result in symptoms like these.
• After you see a doctor and are truly diagnosed with iron-deficient anemia, you will likely be given iron supplements to well, supplement your dietary iron.

Iron round-up

The current optimum iron daily requirements according to Bloodbook.com are as follows:

• Females - ages 11 to 50: 18 mg
• Females - over age 50: 10 mg
• Pregnant women: 30 to 60 mg
• Males - ages 10 to 18: 18 mg
• Males over age 19: 10 mg

As always check with your doctor for the best and most current recommendations for you and for the current daily requirements for children.

Don’t rule out food yet. Iron supplements can truly help if you are seriously deficient but iron from foods is better absorbed and less irritating to your stomach than supplements. Even very active vegetarian women can still manage to get all of their iron requirements from food. Great sources of iron include:

• Seafood (clams are a great high source of iron)
• Fortified cereals
• Legumes, nuts, and seeds
• Lean red meats
• Enriched breads
• Veggies like spinach and swiss chard

After you munch down on iron rich foods you can get out there and continue to exercise efficiently.