How to tell if you are suffering from iron deficiency.
How to tell if you are suffering from iron deficiency. Have you been feeling tired lately and are you no longer able to perform as well as you used to when training? Then this could be due to athlete’s anemia. Find out exactly what is behind it and how you can get it under control here
It is quite normal for your athletic performance to vary from time to time. However, if the phase of reduced performance extends and symptoms such as paleness or a lack of appetite occur, you should pay attention: you may have an iron deficiency. In this article, you will learn why an adequate supply of this trace element is so important, how you can recognize a deficiency and what measures are effective against it.
Why is iron so important for the body?
Iron is an essential (vital) trace element that you must consume daily through food. Among other things, it is responsible for cell formation and the transport of oxygen in the blood. Iron is an integral part of the blood pigment hemoglobin, which in turn is part of our red blood cells. The blood cells can only bind oxygen with the help of iron and transport it to all the body’s cells via the bloodstream. In the muscles, the iron is bound by the red muscle pigment myoglobin and thus supplies the muscles with oxygen. Iron is also involved in various other metabolic functions, the formation of messenger substances (enzymes) and the transmission of signals between nerve cells. You can also read on how to speed up your muscle regeneration through self-massage
In short: Without iron, nothing works properly in the body. If there is an iron deficiency, all organs are affected because if too little iron is consumed, less hemoglobin is produced, which in turn is missing for oxygen transport.
How much iron do I need daily?
According to the German Nutrition Society (DGE), men need 10 milligrams of iron per day. Women need more iron every day, especially during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
What causes iron deficiency?
If there is too little iron in the body, this is referred to as iron deficiency or, as it is known in technical jargon, iron deficiency anemia. Iron deficiency occurs when more iron is lost over time than is taken in. The most common cause of iron deficiency is blood loss, for example through operations or after a blood donation. Another possible cause can be chronic gastrointestinal diseases.
Avoiding fish and meat can also contribute to the deficiency. Athletes who eat a vegetarian or vegan diet are therefore more often affected and should actively ensure that they compensate. Although there are many plant-based sources of iron, the body is less able to utilize the iron from them.
What is athlete’s anemia?
The term “athlete’s anemia” is the colloquial term for a frequently occurring iron deficiency in athletes. It is usually not a real anemia (anemia). In fact, endurance athletes have an increased risk of iron deficiency. In up to 85 percent of endurance athletes, the hematocrit and hemoglobin levels are in the lower normal range. The hematocrit is a measure of the ratio of fluid to cells in the blood; hemoglobin is, as mentioned above, the red blood pigment.
Regular endurance exercise increases blood plasma volume. Iron is lost through urine and sweat. A marathon runner, for example, can lose up to two and a half milligrams of iron per liter of sweat. The recommendation for endurance athletes is to increase their iron intake by about 1 milligram compared to people who do not exercise. Because athletes often follow a diet to control their body weight, iron deficiency is common.
Tip: You can find out at home whether you are suffering from iron deficiency, for example with the PARI TestDirect or the NanoRepro Home Test.
Symptoms: How do I recognize an iron deficiency?
In athletes, iron deficiency leads to a drop in performance over time. The following symptoms can also indicate a possible deficiency:
- pale skin / mucous membranes
- shortness of breath
- chronic fatigue
- dizziness
- Headache
- forgetfulness
- Difficulty concentrating
- nervousness
- Loss of appetite
- dry skin
- Gastrointestinal complaints
- Feeling weak
- Feeling cold
- increased susceptibility to infection
- Burning tongue
- cracked corners of the mouth
- difficulties swallowing
- heartburn
- Hair loss
- dull and damaged hair
- brittle nails
These symptoms can confirm the suspicion of iron deficiency. However, only a blood test can conclusively determine whether you are actually affected.
How is iron deficiency diagnosed?
Get your blood drawn! If you suspect iron deficiency, your doctor will check the iron concentration in your blood in the laboratory. A low hemoglobin and hematocrit value, smaller red blood cells, a lower hemoglobin content of the individual blood cells and a reduced number of red blood cells are signs of iron deficiency. 6.3 to 30.1 micromoles per liter are normal. The doctor will often also check iron stores using the so-called ferritin value. This value allows your doctor to determine whether the iron reserves in the body have already been depleted or used up.
Treatment: What helps with iron deficiency anemia?
The usual means of treating and preventing iron deficiency are special fruit juices that contain iron (eg Rabenhorst Eisenblut plus ). However, the body has difficulty using the plant-based iron from such juices. To ensure that they are effective, the iron dose is very high, plus: the juices contain vitamin C, which increases absorption. Iron tablets or capsules, on the other hand, contain divalent heme iron, which is also found in animal foods. The bioavailability is much higher here and the iron can enter the blood more easily.
The problem: Tablets and juices that are supposed to increase the iron concentration in the blood usually help very slowly. The body cannot absorb the required amount of iron quickly enough. The preparations usually have to be taken over a period of at least 3 to 6 months, and side effects such as gastrointestinal problems often occur. If a critical iron deficiency needs to be remedied quickly, your doctor can administer an iron solution as an infusion. The iron gets directly to where it needs to go in the required quantities and does not have to pass through the intestines first. Side effects rarely occur.
Normally, you can prevent iron deficiency with a balanced diet and don’t need to take any supplements. We’ll tell you which foods contain particularly high levels of iron in the next point.
Which foods contain a lot of iron?
In most cases, an iron deficiency can be easily compensated for or prevented through the right diet. But not all iron is the same: the trace element is found in both animal and plant foods, but differs in its bioavailability.
1. Iron from animal foods: Your body can use this so-called divalent heme iron optimally. It is combined with hemoglobin, which ensures good usability. Meat is the best source of iron, especially offal, although to be honest, it doesn’t suit everyone’s taste. But fish and eggs (especially the yolk) are also excellent sources of iron.
2. Iron in plant-based foods: Although there are many plant-based sources of iron (legumes, nuts, oatmeal), the body cannot absorb or utilize the iron from them well – to be precise, 5 to 10 times less than the heme iron from animal products. These 8 foods, for example, contain more iron than a steak – but unfortunately they are not as good as meat. In addition, some vegetables, soy and whole grain products contain certain “inhibitors” that make iron absorption even more difficult (more on this below).
These substances inhibit iron absorption in the body
As already mentioned, there are certain substances that can inhibit the body’s ability to absorb iron. These include milk and dairy products, for example. Although they provide the equally important micronutrient calcium, they unfortunately also inhibit iron and magnesium absorption in the intestine. Red wine, coffee and black tea are also “iron blockers”. The reason for this is the (actually healthy) secondary plant substances (polyphenols) they contain, which bind the iron to themselves so that it can no longer be absorbed and utilized by the intestine. Whole grain products, spinach, pulses and rhubarb also contain oxalic acid and phytic acid, which also inhibit iron absorption.
Vitamin C promotes iron absorption
Vitamin C not only boosts your immune system, but also helps the body to dissolve iron from food. The acid creates the best basis for transporting iron through the intestines into the bloodstream. Just drinking a glass of orange juice with your meal can easily improve the usability of plant-based iron. The secret is the right combination of iron sources. Always eat the less easily digestible plant-based products with vegetables rich in vitamin C, such as peppers or broccoli. Or try oatmeal with orange juice instead of milk.
It is especially important for athletes to ensure that they have a diet high in iron. If you notice some of the symptoms mentioned above, you should consult a doctor for a more detailed examination.