Ladies Listen Up: 3 reasons active females are at an increased risk of an iron deficiency.

Welcome to a series of blog posts that explore the role of nutrition for female athletes.

Now first, you might be thinking you don’t consider yourself an athlete. If you have an active lifestyle or commit to including exercise in your routine, then you might want to read this.

Something I commonly see is females and most especially physically active females consistently experiencing fatigue. While yes, you are right, going to the gym or being physically active will make you tired due to exerting energy, however, the type of tired I am talking about is where daily tasks feel exhausting.

While there may be many reasons for fatigue, iron deficiency can be a common cause.

What is iron?

Essentially, iron is important in supporting and maintaining healthy lives, from assisting in the completion of daily tasks like walking up the stairs to fighting off a cold or flu.

Iron is a mineral found in food and is required for energy production by helping transport oxygen around the body.

Iron-rich foods. Image generated on Canva.

Who is at risk of an iron deficiency?

Well yes, you may have guessed it, females are more at risk of an iron deficiency.

Females from the ages of 14 years to 50 years require a higher iron intake in comparison to males due to monthly menstruation.

In fact, from the age of 19 years to 50 years, the female recommended dietary intake per day for iron (18mg) is more than double that of men (8mg). Women who are pregnant have even higher needs to support their growing child (27mg).

Given this, it can be hard for women to meet their dietary iron intake making them at risk of an iron deficiency.

Additionally, those who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet or are physically active are at greater risk of an iron deficiency.

Why can being physically active be a risk factor for an iron deficiency?

There are three main reasons for this:

1.  Since we know iron plays an important role in energy production, females who exercise regularly require more energy. Active women have higher iron requirements.

2.  Secondly (and I think the most interesting reason) is due to the physiological impact of exercise on the body. This physical stress can cause very minimal amounts of blood loss caused by the breakdown of red blood cells in the body. Sounds scary I know, but it’s painless.

3.  Iron is also lost in sweat so those who are heavy sweaters or train in hot environments may lose more iron than those who sweat less. Continuous loss of sweat from training over a long period of time could have an impact on the iron status of the body.

What are the signs and symptoms of an iron deficiency?

While you may not be affected by an iron deficiency, it’s important to know the signs and symptoms of what one might look like.

Symptoms include: 

-       Dizziness / Weakness

-       Fatigue

-       Lack of Concentration (brain fog)

-       Headache

-       Increased Risk of Infection

If you suspect you may have an iron deficiency, please contact your GP to get a blood test.

If you would like to maximise your iron intake and absorption so you can feel your best, please get in touch so we can work together.