"WHY  IRON IS A BIG DEAL" by Mr. Iverson

Your body can be running low on an often overlooked area that can bring you down: Iron! Some things to think abut: 

• It is a good thing to remind us each of the importance of iron in our diets.  

• Anemia- the lack of iron in the blood- is a common affliction that runners can face.  (Note -- an athlete need not have anemia in order to have adverse consequences caused by low iron.

•  Blood that is iron-poor robs the red blood cells of the ability to carry oxygen to the muscles...  

• which causes significant and sometimes severe fatigue, and at minimum, makes it impossible to perform as a runner at anything like your best.

•  Therefore, it is best to make sure that your diet includes a tremendous amount of natural iron ALL THE TIME.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I AM LOW? You should get tested at least twice each year -- more if you're found to be low. 

• You want a FERRITIN TEST, and the number you are generally looking for is 30 or above -- but the numbers vary tremendously from person-to-person.  As a result, regular testing is important to establish a baseline. We recommend every six months (more often if an athlete is low).

• One organization, Accesa Labs, does provide an option to request the test on-line.  You need to...

     a. sign up for an account

     b. request the test 

     c. give reason ("she's a track/xc athlete -- checking iron stores") 

Of course, you always have the option of going straight to the doctor but, in the absence of symptoms, sometimes primary care physicians are reluctant to order that test.  We would still argue that regular ferritin tests are extremely important for young women runners to obtain.

HERE is an IRON FOOD GUIDE that allows you to track the iron amount in food you're eating.