Iron woman! Women, exercise, and iron

[caribou]

I've struggled with problems with running out of energy on hills for years, despite doing hill intervals, using a heart-rate monitor to train in the correct zones, etc. But I think I've found the answer.

This year, when I was totally exhausted for weeks at the end of the cross-country ski season (my favorite sport), I went to see my doctor. Everything was normal except for low blood iron. Not anemia, just low iron. This has been a regular problem off and on, and I hadn't taken low iron or even mild anemia too seriously.

But this time I did some web research and found reliable-seeming sources that stated that heavy exercise can deplete women's iron reserves, low blood iron can adversely affect athletic performance (duh, I should have known this one!), and coffee can interfere with iron absorption. It all suddenly fit together for this coffeeholic lousy hill-climbing tired at the end of every xc ski season woman.

I have decreased my coffee consumption, and started taking iron supplements daily with vitamin C (and a couple hours after or before any coffee or calcium). And, I'm doing great! Hills I used to suffer on are getting much easier; I don't feel like I'm going to puke, pass out, and have my thighs burn off. I rode up a challenging hill that I've ridden before today, at 6,500 feet altitude, and I was fine!!!!

My doctor has pooh-poohed my web findings. Has anybody else had similar experiences, or is anyone a health-care professional who can verify what I found on the web and have experienced? (I think it may be time to find a doctor who will take my input more seriously, too.) Any further info re iron and exercise would be appreciated.

[runnergirl]

Your doctor doesn't understand iron supplementation for female athletes? I'd get a new doctor!!!

There's pleanty of crap out there on the internet about supplements, but iron is a well known thing...the Friel Cyclist's Training Bible recommends that all women get their iron tested and have supplementatin supervised by a doctor, and he's as mainstream as it gets in cycling.

If you're into serious training, you should buy a copy of the "bible," or just read that section standing in Barnes and Nobles-he has a bibliography to each chapter that might have more info.

[bouncybouncy]

Thank you for sharing your findings! I have always suffered with low iron ("suffer" is a little harsh) I have been turned down many times trying to give blood because it was too low, i even took suppliments for a week before a blood drive and it was too HIGH...I must be on the border-line

I am a coffe drinker and a newly reformed excersice freak...i new something like that was happening but just never took the time to research it...i seem to be more lathargic during that time more-so than the rest of the month. I am going to look more into how I can regulate it and cut back on my coffee so I can "hang" a little better on those group rides

Thanks

Keep pedaling!!!!!

[CorsairMac]

I never had problems with iron in the past - but I also never exercised like I have this year. When I went to donate blood the last time, I just barely passed the iron test. The examiner even said if it didn't "sink" within the next so many seconds he was gonna have to pass on me. I had Never had that happen before. I wouldn't have said I was experiencing any other problems but I might've and just blown them off as allergies, or the weather, or menopause, or laziness! LOL I also did the research and I supplement now too.

as a footnote: of the 4 women in my family (including me) I was the only one not on iron supplements. And I'm with Han-Grrl.....my tests always came back "low normal" but hey normal is normal right??

[han-grrl]

I had been diagnosed with low iron last year...

I was sleeping ALL the time. i couldn't get enough energy. I had my blood checked and the nurse said it was within normal limits. I had to findout what they meant. I was actually just within limits and certainly way too low for someone training for mtb racing. I went on iron supplements and started to feel way better. even emotionally. i was just more well, level headed. Because i was so exhausted i was also very emotional. so that is my little experience with low iron.

[Nanci]

One good thing about the depo shot (well, besides not having a period!) is I don't have to worry about low iron any more. I used to have to supplement for a week before donating blood, but now I don't have to any more, ever.

Nanci

[RoadRaven]

I see you are having Vit C supplements with your iron - most excellent because Vit C helps the body to absorb more iron than it would without the Vit C
Have VitC rich foods or juices with every meal and that will help as will

Good luck

[DirtDiva]

And tea/coffee shortly before/after a meal will reduce your iron absorption.

[Dogmama]

And tea/coffee shortly before/after a meal will reduce your iron absorption.

Decaf too?

[RoadRaven]

Caffeine is better for you than decaf... you know what they do to make coffee caffeine-less?

*shudders*

Drink coffe, not decaf, just not with your iron-rich food...

[DirtDiva]

Well, I do know what we had to do to get the caffeine out of teabags in chem labs. Of course, we were trying to preserve the caffiene rather than the tea, but I doubt the solvents used are any less nasty. But I don't think about that - I come form the "if it ain't got caffeine in it I may as well drink some brown water" school of thought. I mean, Caffeine-free Diet Coke? What's left?

[RoadRaven]

caffeine free diet coke...



scarey words, tl... scarey scarey words...

[newrider]

Would you talk a bit about what iron supplement you use? I was discovered to have anemia last summer, after I'd been on a daily walking program for a good year. It was so low that I was given iron infusions, with exploratory tests (lots of probing, no results) for the source of the "blood loss."

I became convinced it was from the weight bearing ex of walking, as well as heavier than normal perimenopausal periods, and have tried to just eat better. My iron counts are now in the normal range, but low normal. I've never looked into a supplement because there were too many choices. My docs never suggested supplementing, saying it causes constipation (not my idea of a good time).

So what works for you all? Apparently you're not living with constipation! And how did you determine what dose and what kind of iron to take?

[trigurl]

I have had bouts of tiredness and figured it was low iron, I recently had a blood test and they said it was normal. I thought it might be low blood sugar but even that was normal.

I have started eating more iron rich foods, I only eat spinach now instead of lettuce, I even put it on my sandwiches. I don't eat a lot of meat anymore, mostly veggie burgers and such which have some iron.

I can't seem to take iron as it causes stomach upset (as does most everything else), about once a week I take a multi vitamin with iron at night it doesn't seem to bother me as much that way.

I figured out that while I was taking my vitamins (w/o iron) I felt really tired, I quit taking the vitamins and feel much better Must be something I can't handle in them, now I take a super b complex, calcium, mag and zinc, and MSM, I eat lots of veggies so hopefully I am getting enough, I also have started snacking on dry cereal which has lots of vitamins too.

Boy, the things we have to do!

[Trekhawk]

If you get a chance check out this months Bicycling mag its got an article on vitamin supplements. Interesting read.