Iron Information
Iron & Ferritin Information
Student-Athletes: Talk with your coaches and always consult with parents/guardians & doctors.
Coaches: We are not doctors, but we care about our athletes and want the best for them.
Ferritin
Not iron but a protein in the body that stores and transfers iron to the muscle.
Ferritin reflects the amount of total iron which is available to your body. Low Ferritin = Low Delivery of Iron
Ferritin levels are one of the best indicators of iron deficiency.
Iron
Iron-Deficiency: A lesser but more common form of anemia. Athletes can test normal but can suffer from iron deficiency.
Anemia: Lack of iron in the blood. An athlete does not have to test positive for anemia to suffer the consequences of low iron.
Iron-poor blood robs the red blood cells of the ability to carry oxygen to the muscles.
This can cause athletic performances to suffer. More importantly, iron deficiency can lead to other more serious health issues.
IMPORTANT: When you visit your doctor, please request a Ferritin test. That will give you more accurate information regarding potential iron deficiency.
Most experts agree that for female varsity/endurance athletes Ferritin levels below 30 ng/mL are considered low.
Non-athlete female Ferritin levels as low as 6 ng/mL may be considered normal.
Most pediatricians are not thinking in terms of varsity/endurance athletes. They may consider 11ng/mL normal.
We have had athletes with normal blood iron level results but Ferritin levels below 5 ng/mL.
Please ask to have your Ferritin levels tested.
LOW Ferritin level test results and solutions
Talk to your doctor and follow their recommendations
Solutions to maintain good levels of Iron and Ferritin
Maintain a healthy diet. Eat food. Eat a lot of it!
Resources and Articles
Female athletes: Avoiding iron deficiency (anemia)
High School Girls: Are Your Ferritin Levels Up to Speed?
A lengthy and very scientific explanation of Ferritin and Iron relationship
The conclusion of the “Iron Status in Female Endurance Athletes and in Non-Athletes” research paper states: “It was concluded that higher intakes of iron and of nutrients affecting iron metabolism were capable of compensating for possible exercise-induced iron losses in young(16-20 years) athletes.”