Iron Deficiency in Athletes

May 2002

Iron depletion is common in athletes and can develop quickly into the advanced condition of anaemia.
Inadequate iron intake is often reported in vegetarian, adolecent girls and women athletes.
Athletes have high iron requirements and losses of iron from hard training, especially endurance athletes.
Lean red meat, one of the most readily absorbed sources of iron should be consumed 3-4 times a week.
Vegetarians need to eat iron-rich foods each day, such as iron-fortified breakfast cereal, nuts and legumes and combine these foods with foods high in vitamin C.
People with the iron storage disorder, haemochromatosis, should never use iron supplements.
If you are rapidly growing, not eating properly, feel tired and run down, and training hard nearly every day, see your doctor to check for iron depletion.