Iron and Exercise

When exercising, and especially swimming, there’s an obvious need for protein. But what some people don’t realize it that iron is just as necessary.

We can get iron from two sources: meat and fish or plant foods. Even though both kinds are absorbed and used by the body, iron that comes from meat and fish, rather than plants, is easier to be absorbed by the body. The reason that iron is so helpful to a swimmer is because iron helps transport oxygen to cells. If a swimmer is iron-deficient then there won’t be as much oxygen going into the muscles. Considering that a swimmer uses every muscle, oxygen is very important to have in them.

Oddly enough, as you age the need for iron increases. This is because blood volume expands naturally. Below are the general requirements for males and females:

Male

9-13 years: 8 mg per day

 14-18 years 11 mg per day

Female

9-13 years: 8 mg per day

14-18 years: 15 mg per day

The reason that girls need to almost double their intake of iron once they hit puberty is because of the loss of blood due to menstruation.

If you don’t get enough iron then it is possible to get fatigue or lack of energy, paleness, low body temperature, chronic infections/colds, and reduced academic performance. If you don’t have the sufficient amount of iron for too long, it is possible that you could then develop anemia.

Swimmers and other endurance athletes are at higher risk for iron deficiency anemia. This is because of blood cell breakdown during exercise, making iron more of a concern. Children and teens who are picky eaters, dieters, meal skippers or who have a poor quality diet (more junk food than healthy options) are also more at risk for iron deficiency.

Possible foods that are rich in iron include liver, red meats, poultry, and fish. As far as other foods go that aren’t meat then iron rich foods include spinach, kale, beans, tofu, fruits or raisins, iron-fortified cereals, iron-fortified bread, bagels, muffins, soy, almonds, and cashews.

If you feel like you don’t have enough iron in your diet, here are some tips on how to get more:

-Plan to include iron-rich foods at each meal.
-Vitamin C promotes iron absorption of non-meat sources. Pair citrus juices, fruits such as strawberries and mango, and other sources of vitamin C with plant-based iron-rich foods.
---Example: iron-fortified cereal with raisins and a glass of orange juice
-Protein helps iron absorption. When meat is combined with iron sources (the “meat factor,”), absorption of iron increases 2-3 times!
---Example: Enchiladas with lean ground beef and beans; steak and spinach

A great example is a simple iron-rich smoothie:
4-6 ounces of orange juice
½ - 1 cup of baby spinach leaves (or kale)
1 cup of frozen berries (raspberries, blueberries, or other)
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt or iron-fortified tofu