| Iron and the Athlete |
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Feeling tired? Running into ‘injuries’ or ‘aches and pains’ that are slowing your training down? Not recovering well? Injuries healing slowly? Feeling chilly? Could be you are iron deficient. Worse yet, you might have low ferritin.
What is ferritin and why would we care about ferritin and red blood cell count? According to Jeff Hess, a high-school track coach and researcher, low ferritin not only affects training by reducing energy and prolonging recovery, it also increases the risk of overuse injuries. Increased blood lactate, muscular tightness, and heavy legs are among the symptoms of low ferritin noted by Hess. It is interesting to note that ferritin can be low even when the red blood cell count is normal. Red blood cell count and ferritin can be low simultaneously, however, as well. Ferritin levels are considered normal for non-athletes if they are between ten and 290 nanograms per millilitre. That’s a pretty broad range. Hess’s and my experience show that ferritin levels of at least thirty-five nanograms per millilitre produce better athletic results all around. 
Spinach contains naturally high quantities of iron.
Her dress would become attractive, and her hair would be neatly done, too. (Apparently, Geritol™ was pretty amazing stuff.) What crucial information did they leave out? There is a lot of information in books and online about foods that are iron-rich. Many years ago Bill Nye, the Science Guy, who most school-aged children will recognize, showed an experiment on his TV show wherein he took an iron-fortified cereal, added milk, stirred it with a wooden spoon, waited for a few minutes, then pulled a bar magnet through the concoction. The magnet came out with iron filings on it. This was, according to Mr. Nye, a common way to enhance the iron content of foods. While iron filings (and Geritol™) certainly do contain iron, it is not useful because it is not properly chelated for assimilation. Many iron supplements, if they are not chemically correct for the human body, cause gastro-intestinal problems including constipation or diarrhea. Focusing on whole, natural foods, rather than artificially iron-enriched foods, is a much better idea when dealing with iron-supply issues. Lists of iron-rich foods abound. Counting milligrams of iron for daily intake is tedious, but, simply put, getting enough chicken (especially dark meat), eggs (with the yolk), beef, wild game (venison, which has the most haeme iron of any meat source), green vegetables, and whole grains should supply the required iron. Other great sources of iron that do not usually cause negative side effects are herbal supplements. Red raspberry leaves, chickweed, dandelion leaf, alfalfa, yellow dock, and chlorophyll capsules or beverages have been used traditionally to correct anaemia and low ferritin because they are very high in organically chelated iron. “Greens” products are also helpful for many people. Sometimes ferritin levels increase simply because of increased iron intake. Sometimes they don’t, so treatment must be two-pronged. First, iron intake must be increased dramatically. Experiment with consuming food sources that are naturally high in iron. Second, answer the protein questions that go along with the low ferritin problem: Are you getting enough protein? Many sources on sport nutrition recommend between 1.5 to 1.8 milligrams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Again, we can be tedious and measure milligrams of protein intake based on body weight, or we can use a more general rule: six half-palms of protein per day. Taking in six smaller servings of protein insures more complete and easier digestion of the protein. It is often helpful to include one serving of a good, clean protein supplement daily. Avoid proteins that have fillers like maltodextrin and artificial ingredients including fake sweeteners, colours, and flavours. Are you digesting protein well enough to get the amino acids out of it to make your own protein structures from it? How do you know? If you are not, you will have extremely foul, rotten-smelling flatulence from undigested proteins rotting in your gut. (Somewhat sweetish smelling flatulence is an indication of carbohydrates not digesting well.) Solve this protein-digesting problem by using a protein-digestive aid (usually a hydrochloric acid tablet), ginger root, or safflower flowers with each meal, not drinking fluids with meals or soon after meals, and eliminating coffee, tea, and carbonated beverage consumption, all of which compromise digestion (and iron absorption). Without adequate protein intake and thorough protein digestion you simply cannot make the complex haeme iron structure or the ferritin iron structure to utilize the iron you are ingesting. Boosting your energy, improving the quality and results of your workouts, and speeding recovery from workouts and injuries may be as simple as correcting your iron and ferritin levels. About the AuthorJudith Cobb, owner of Cobblestone Health in Calgary, Alberta, is a master herbalist, nutritional consultant, certified iridologist, sport nutritionist, and avid runner. |
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