L‘alarm launched a few weeks ago Cleveland Clinic US: up to 35 percent of sportswomen experience an iron deficiency and the percentage rises to 52 percent in teenage female athletes.
A little known and underestimated problem, according to American experts, which in addition to increasing the likelihood of anemia can cause tiredness, difficulty recovering from efforts and lack of energy, with a decrease in power and muscle strength.
Iron deficiency and intensive workouts
«Those who train very intensely or practice endurance sports such as running or cycling are at risk of iron deficiency due to the oxidative stress induced by physical effort» confirms the sports doctor Michele De Grandi. In fact, strenuous training increases inflammation and with it the production of hepcidin, a hormone that prevents the correct assimilation of iron in the hours following the practice. Those who play sports more days a week have more absorption difficultiesor, moreover, the microtraumas, the greater intestinal motility and the sweating induced by the exercise contribute to making more iron “lose”.
In women, menstrual cycle losses and, sometimes, an unbalanced diet are added. «Sportswomen must choose foods that contain a lot of iron that is easy to assimilate, such as meat and fish, to be associated with foods rich in vitamin C to improve its absorption» says the expert.
“In some cases – in professional athletes, if you engage in intense physical performance such as the marathon or if you are vegan or vegetarian – it may be useful to integrate with targeted supplements”.
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