Workouts Dragging? Check Your Iron Levels

If you’re a runner, especially if you’re a woman, there’s a good chance you’ve run low on iron, if not become outright anemic.

- KELLY PRITCHETT, SELENE YEAGER

Having an iron deficiency is common among endurance athletes like runners, impacting up to 17 percent of male and 50 percent of female endurance athletes across various cohort studies. That’s a problem for many reasons: Not only does iron make it possible for red blood cells to carry oxygen to your muscles to power them, but also the vital mineral is important for energy generation during high-intensity activity and keeping your immune system humming along.

When your iron levels are deficient, your performance—and general health—is compromised. You may notice feeling more burnt out during your training, not being able to finish your workouts the way you want to (and are used to), and not being able to bounce back after tough sessions. So let’s break down everything you need to know about the relationship between iron levels and your miles.

How do we become iron-deficient?

The reason many of us worry about our iron levels is that this mineral is lost in many ways: in the urine, through the menstrual cycle, blood loss in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, sweat loss, and the breakdown of red blood cells via the impact of our foot strikes. Plus, chronic use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g., ibuprofen and naproxen)—ones often used by athletes—and antacids can also lead to iron deficiency.

What about anemia?

Anemia is a condition in which the blood doesn’t have enough healthy red blood cells. Although iron deficiency anemia is the most common type, it is one of many different types. It is possible to have iron deficiency prior to developing a diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia. Over time, iron deficiency will lead to anemia if no action is taken because the body will exhaust its iron stores, known as ferritin.

So what’s the deal with ferritin levels?