Dietary Iron And Sport Performance

Because one red blood cell contains about 250 million hemoglobin molecules a higher level of iron can mean a higher aerobic capacity and better performance.

Dietary iron and sport performance. 81 of male and 39 of female athletes reached the rda. Protein protein helps to build maintain and repair your. Although iron deficiency anemia decreases work capacity there is conflicting evidence on whether milder iron deficiency without anemia impairs sport and exercise performance 12 151 152. If needed an iron containing dietary supplement can help you get the recommended amount of iron.

Iron is a functional component of oxygen transport and energy production in humans and therefore is a critically important micronutrient for sport and exercise performance. Advising athletes and chronic exercisers particularly women runners and vegetarians to seek nutrition counseling and regular iron testing 1 may be the key to preventing iron deficiency and the resulting reductions in athletic performance. Iron density was lower in males. Della valle haas 2012 determination of the impact of iron depletion on performance at the beginning of a training season.

If you want to improve your athletic performance you should eat a healthy diet containing foods rich in iron such as lean meats seafood poultry beans nuts and raisins. Similar vo 2peak in athletes with low and normal iron status. Iron stores can be hard to maintain because the typical iron absorption from eating a typical western diet ranges from 10 35 while following a vegetarian diet has much less iron.