Attention Female Athletes: It's Time To Consider Another Kind Of Iron

For the weightlifting female athlete, there’s another kind of iron that deserves the spotlight — besides your barbell.

- SJ Mc Shane, CPT, CN

Iron deficiency is a common problem among female athletes, and nearly half of us may be anemic and not even know it. “A deficiency can occur from many factors, including loss of blood through menstruation, pregnancy, intense training and lack of dietary iron,” says Danielle Schaub, MSPH, RD. “Athletes are more sensitive to the effects of iron deficiency since performance depends on oxygen getting to active muscle and being utilized efficiently.” Being iron-deficient means that your body doesn’t have enough iron to produce hemoglobin, the compound that enables red blood cells to carry oxygenated blood throughout the body. “Oxygen is needed for aerobic ATP production, which is what provides energy to muscle cells, so therefore low iron means decreased oxygen and less ATP, and therefore more muscle fatigue,” Schaub says. “Iron is also incorporated into the production of new cells, proteins and hormones, helping boost recovery.” The only surefire way to