It’s easy to understand how iron deficiency anemia could lead to poor performance in the gym, but did you realize that even a minor deficiency can set you back? Iron is necessary to create the hemoglobin in the blood and myoglobin in the cells. Hemoglobin takes the oxygen from the lungs and sends it to the tissues. Myoglobin uptakes the oxygen, stores it, and releases it. If you lack iron, the effectiveness of the system of transporting oxygen is diminished. The shortage doesn’t have to be severe enough to cause anemia to affect your progress in the gym.
A lot of things can affect your store of iron.
If you regularly do intense workouts and sweat a lot, it can reduce your iron levels. That loss of iron can negatively affect your heart rate. If your iron levels are lower, even if they’re not low enough to cause anemia, it can affect your energy level. Women often face iron deficiency, just as vegetarians do, but the most often overlooked group facing it is the endurance athlete who pushes it to the limit.
Not only does iron transport oxygen, but it plays other vital roles in your fitness.
Besides transporting oxygen via the red blood cells, iron also helps your body use carbohydrates for energy. That’s especially true when you workout. It plays a role in recovery and boosts the production of new cells, proteins, and hormones. Other factors that affect the amount of iron you have include age, health conditions like Crohn’s disease, heavy menstruation, and blood loss. Absorption of iron by the body plays a role. Eating food like shrimp, chicken, beef, and fish provides the easiest source, while tofu, pumpkin, and vegetarian sources aren’t as bioavailable.
If you’re an athlete, you’ll lose 70% more iron than a couch potato.
Sweating, high intensity exercises, and endurance workouts increase the amount of iron you lose. It can cause a higher heart rate. If your rate increases even though you’re fitter, have your iron checked. Profuse sweating and exercise not only cause iron depletion but also causes red blood cells to break down faster. Studies have shown that even a minor shortage makes a difference. One study compared two groups of sedentary women. One group took iron supplements and did aerobic exercise and the other just exercised. The group taking iron improved more rapidly.
- Signs you lack iron include crunching on ice cubes. It also includes a low immune response. If you’re increasing iron in your diet, don’t forget to increase vitamins C, B12, and folate.
- Replenishing your iron takes a while. You can’t do it by taking a supplement for a few days. It takes improving your overall diet for as much as two months.
- If you’re vegetarian or vegan, it’s harder to get iron from plant sources. While many plants are a source of iron, iron isn’t as bioavailable from plants as it is from animal sources.
- Maintaining a healthy diet, especially if you’re working out, can help prevent iron deficiency. It’s easier to prevent deficiency caused by a poor diet than it is to replenish the iron in the body.
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