What would you think if I told you an epidemiological study on endurance runners found 82% of female endurance athletes to be iron deficient? This of course can happen to male endurance athletes as well, but women are particularly at risk because of menstruation, dietary shortcomings or disordered eating, and the nature of endurance activity. Female runners who are iron deficient may feel fatigued, cold, short of breath, have a low appetite, all of which can greatly affect athletic performance.
chickpeas + tomato = great combination for nonheme iron absorption. read on!
How do I know if I’m iron deficient?
See your doctor, especially if you have any of the symptoms listed above. You’ll probably get your ferritin levels checked, which is a blood protein that stores iron. Low ferritin levels indicate iron deficiency, which can occur with or without anemia (when iron deficiency is severe enough to reduce red blood cell production). If your doctor thinks it’s necessary, you may need iron supplementation (either by mouth or IV), which they should prescribe and dose to avoid iron toxicity.
How we lose iron as runners
This is sort of fascinating. Not only can we lose iron from sweating or through the GI tract, but also from our foot strikes while running. This is called “foot strike hemolysis”, and basically means red blood cells are destroyed due to the force of our feet striking the ground. Not every runner will experience this, but it does make us more susceptible to iron deficiency and decreases in performance.
Ok, what can I do?
You know what they say: the best defense is a good offense (they = Wayne Gretzky? I’m not sure). Consuming iron-rich foods regularly is your best defense when it comes to maintaining adequate ferritin levels and preventing or treating iron deficiency. Dietary iron sources can be separated into two categories: heme (animal) and nonheme (plant).
Heme Iron
Heme iron is found in animal products that contain hemoglobin, and is best and most readily absorbed by the body. These foods include:
Beef, bison
Liver
Lamb
Pork
Chicken, turkey
Fish and shellfish
Nonheme Iron
Nonheme iron is found in plant foods, and is absorbed less efficiently than heme iron. These foods include:
Chickpeas
Lentils
Black-eyed peas
Other beans and legumes (e.g., kidney beans, black beans)
Dark leafy greens (e.g., spinach, kale)
Nuts and seeds (e.g., almonds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, cashews, walnuts)
Fortified foods (e.g., cereals and other grains)
Dried fruits (e.g., prunes, raisins)
Blackstrap molasses
Absorption tips and tricks
There are certain nutrients that can either help or hinder iron absorption. Try to:
Eat nonheme iron sources with vitamin C-rich foods, which will help your body absorb more iron. Examples could be chickpeas and tomato (like my curry above), lentil soup with spinach wilted in, kale salad with pumpkin seeds and a dressing made with lemon juice
Try not to consume iron sources with coffee, tea, or foods rich in calcium which can impair absorption
Use a cast iron skillet when cooking, your body can absorb some of that iron!
Include a variety of both heme and nonheme iron sources in your diet
It can’t go without saying that if you think you may be iron deficient because of disordered eating behaviors, seek out help from an experienced non-diet dietitian. Here’s to happy and healthy running, friends!
For information about working with me, please visit my website!