Importance of Iron for Runners
Iron is an essential mineral found in every cell of the body. It is needed to make haemoglobin that transports oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body, and myoglobin, which carries oxygen to muscles. Having low levels of iron impacts the performance of runners and slows them down. Iron deficiency known as anaemia is fairly common in athletes.
Symptoms of anaemia include –
- Fatigue
- Fast or unusual heartbeat
- Weakness
- Consistent lack of energy
- Pale or yellowish skin
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness or light-headedness
- Chest pain
- Cold hands and feet
- Headaches
It takes a simple and quick blood test at a medical clinic to check the levels of iron. Normal ferritin level is usually considered 20–160ng/mL, which can vary from lab to lab. Women athletes should aim for 30 level and men athletes should aim for 40. Endurance athletes definitely need more iron.
Runners are at a high risk of getting anaemia due to strenuous training making the muscles work more than usual. Low iron level is one of the common reasons for fatigue and poor results in training and workouts. Runners lose more iron than non-runners for reasons like, footstrike hemolysis (damaging of RBCs due to continuous shock of multiple foot strikes per mile) or via sweating or if you are a female runner, it is difficult but essential to maintain the minimum level.
There are a lot of options of iron-rich food items for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians, like shellfish, spinach, liver, cooked beans, tofu, etc. Iron supplements are another way of increasing and maintaining your iron levels. Taking Vitamin C with iron helps in absorption of iron in the body.
If your iron level is at an alarming level, it is recommended to visit the doctor and follow a diet suggested by a dietician.
Running as a sport in India does not have a core community that can help new runners to expand their knowledge base and master it. Bhaago India platform helps runners of all levels come together and build a core community to provide a one-stop solution to all the challenges that runners face.
