Low Ferritin Levels - A Concern For Runners?

Every runner knows that running is more than a mere sport; it is a lifestyle with demanding physical requirements and strict diets

. As diligent as a runner may be in keeping healthy habits, this lifestyle often comes with factors that are likely to lead to low ferritin levels and low ferritin symptoms.

The Role of Ferritin in Runners

Found primarily in the liver, skeletal muscle, and bone marrow, Ferritin is an imortant iron storage protein. It plays an important role in making iron non-toxic to the surrounding cells and keeping it in a usable state. Since the amount of ferritin is related to the amount of iron able to be stored, low ferritin levels can contribute to or be an indicator of anemia.

What Iron Does for Our Bodies

Iron is a major component of many substances in the body, such as the enzymes in muscle cells needed for aerobic energy production. It is also necessary in the production of hemoglobin in red blood cells. Hemoglobin is necessary to carry oxygen from the lungs to the muscles. When iron levels are low, the production of hemoglobin suffers. This is of special concern to runners as a decrease in oxygen reaching your muscles may cause your VO2 max (maximal oxygen consumption) and your racing performance suffers.

Causes of Low Ferritin Levels in Runners

There are several lifestyle factors that contribute to decreased ferritin levels in endurance athletes, these include:

Diet is a major contributing factor. Typically, very little is eaten of beef, chicken and other sources of the heme iron which is more easily absorbed than the low fat high carbohydrate diet most runners adhere to.

"Foot strike Hemolysis" is commonly suffered by runners. This occurs when the foot strikes the ground and red blood cells breakdown. Some studies suggest that foot strike hemolysis in long distance runners can lead to iron deficiency and in some extreme cases, even anemia.

Sweating, although a small contributing factor, does cause some iron loss. This is of increased concern for high distance runners.

All athletes are susceptible to sports anemia, especially the long distance runner. However, the problem is easily avoided with some purposeful actions, such as increasing intake of lean beef, not drinking coffee or tea with meals, eating vitamin C rich foods with meals to increase iron absorption, and adding a medical food such as a heme iron supplement to your diet.

by: Heide Creduer

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