If Popeye really understood iron...What he and most student athletes don't know about this important mineral.

A quick 3 minute read.

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These articles are almost always inspired by the amazing student athletes that we work with every day. This particular conversation around iron came up a few times this week.

Iron has a big impact on how student athletes feel and it may get missed as a reason why a student athlete isn't feeling or performing their best.

For this reason, iron is a nutrient that comes up a lot when we get to work with athletes one on one.

Here is a bit of insight into iron, why it's important and how to get it through food. We hope you will pass this along to your student athletes and families.

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What is iron?

Iron is a vital nutrient for athletes, playing a crucial role in oxygen transport and energy metabolism. For female athletes, iron is even more essential due to menstrual blood loss, making them more susceptible to deficiency.

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Iron is a key component of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells responsible for carrying oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. During exercise, muscles require increased oxygen delivery to produce energy efficiently. Therefore, inadequate iron levels can lead to reduced oxygen transport, resulting in fatigue, decreased endurance, and impaired performance.

Female athletes are particularly vulnerable to iron deficiency due to menstrual blood loss, which can deplete iron stores over time. Additionally, intense training can increase iron losses through sweat and gastrointestinal bleeding. All athletes (and especially females) need to pay close attention to their iron intake to prevent deficiency and maintain optimal performance.

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Am I getting enough?

Recognizing the symptoms of iron deficiency is crucial for timely intervention. Common symptoms include:

• fatigue

• weakness
• shortness of breath
• decreased exercise tolerance
• pale skin
• headaches.

These symptoms can significantly impact athletic performance and overall well-being if left unaddressed.

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Food sources of iron.

To support healthy iron levels, student athletes should prioritize iron-rich foods in their diet.

Excellent sources of heme iron, the more easily absorbed form of iron, include:

• lean meats
• red meat
• organ meats
• poultry
• fish
• shellfish

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Plant-based sources of non-heme iron include:

• legumes
• tofu
• fortified cereals
• dark leafy greens
• nuts & seeds
• dried fruits

Consuming vitamin C-rich foods, such as citrus fruits, strawberries, bell peppers, and tomatoes, alongside iron-rich foods can enhance iron absorption.

While both forms of iron are beneficial, heme iron is much more easily absorbed. Athletes who are consuming a plant based diet may need to consume more iron-rich foods to ensure optimum levels.

What hinders absorption?

Iron isn't the easiest nutrient to absorb and some foods can actually make absorption harder.

Health conditions like celiac disease, IBS, or Crohn’s disease that damage the gut lining can all play a part in iron absorption.

For most people, a wide range of foods and vitamins are to blame for poor iron absorption.?Some of these include:

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• Phytates found in plant-based foods like whole grains, cereals, soy, corn, nuts, and have been shown to block the absorption of non-heme iron. Soaking beans and lentils thoroughly (typically overnight) to get rid of any phytic acid helps unlock the iron stored in these foods.

• Calcium can interfere with short-term iron absorption. Athletes can time their calcium intake so that it doesn’t interfere with your iron intake.

• Polyphenols (plant compounds with powerful antioxidant qualities)are found in foods like vegetables, fruits, cereals, legumes, cocoa, tea, wine, and coffee. It is suggested that if taking an iron supplement, to do so 2 hours before drinking coffee or tea.

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Ensuring optimum gut health and building a general knowledge of iron-rich foods can really help student athletes optimize their iron levels.

In addition to dietary strategies, athletes should consider regular monitoring of their iron status through blood tests. This allows for early detection of deficiency and enables healthcare professionals to provide appropriate recommendations, which may include iron supplementation.

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Understanding the significance of iron, recognizing symptoms of deficiency, and incorporating iron-rich foods into the diet are paramount for optimizing athletic performance and overall health.

When you are ready, there are a few ways that I help people like you everyday.

• Know a student athlete who would benefit from learning how they can use food to feel better and perform their best? Our Eat Like a Champion Program takes student athletes through 8 weeks of simple daily tasks to enhance both their understanding and ability to use nutrition to perform their best.
• Depending on the size of your organization, you may qualify for a complimentary nutrition seminar. Email Diane to find out if you could get your athletes started with nutrition for FREE. [email protected]
• The Coaches' Easy Nutrition Playbook is an ever growing collection of my best information, activities and resources that I have used successfully with thousands of student athletes and that coaches can use to support their own athletes' learning and practice of nutrition.
• Find out how we are helping youth and post secondary athletes sustain fewer injuries.

Until next week,

~Diane