Dietary iron intervention using a staple food product for improvement of iron status in female runners

Abstract

BackgroundAdequate nutrient intake is critically important for achieving optimal sports performance. Like all athletes, female runners require a nutritionally balanced diet to maintain daily activities and a successful training regime. This study investigates the effects of cereal product based dietary iron intervention on iron status of recreational female runners (n = 11; 32 ± 7yr; 239 ± 153 minutes exercise/week, of which 161 ± 150 minutes running activity/week; VO2max 38 ± 4 ml/kg/min).MethodsParticipants completed a 6-week dietary intervention study. They were asked to replace their usual bread with iron-rich Teff bread as part of their daily diet. During this period, their dietary habits were assessed by multiple pass 24-hr recalls; iron status was determined by venous blood analysis for serum transferrin, serum transferrin receptor, serum ferritin, total iron-binding capacity and transferrin receptor/ferritin log index.ResultsPre-intervention a cohort of 11 female runners reported inadequate daily dietary iron intake of 10.7 ± 2.7 mg/day, which was associated with overall compromised iron status. Over a third of all participants showed depleted bodily iron stores (serum ferritin <12 μg/L). Pre-intervention macronutrient assessment revealed adequate energy, protein and fibre intakes, whilst total fat and saturated fat intake was above the recommendations at the expense of carbohydrate intake. A 6-week dietary intervention resulted in significantly higher total iron intakes (18.5 mg/day, P < 0.05) and improved iron tissue supply but not enlarged iron stores. Improvements in heamatological indices were associated with compromised baseline iron status, prolonged intervention period and increase in dietary iron intake.ConclusionDietary iron interventions using a staple cereal product offer an alternative way of improving dietary iron intake and favourable affecting overall iron status in physically active females.

Simple sugar supplementation abrogates exercise-induced increase in hepcidin in young men

“…Metabolically active iron is a component of enzymes, including enzymes involved in DNA synthesis, mitochondrial and detoxifying enzymes and many more [1]. This could be the reason why many people think that if we consume or accumulate more iron is better.…”

Teff Grain Physical and Chemical Quality Responses to Soil Physicochemical Properties and the Environment

“…Micronutrients such as iron and zinc are considered the most limiting nutrients for children in many communities in developing countries [24] and teff may be the ideal crop for biofortification as a sustainable and cost-effective strategy to curtailed micronutrient malnutrition that affects approximately 2 billion people globally [25,26]. Further, among female athletes from developing nations, only Ethiopian athletes are free of anemia and this was attributed to the consumption of teff [27]. Teff has the potential in reducing iron deficiency anemia diseases by its iron richness [21,28,29] and it is also reported to have a complete set of essential amino acids with excellent composition [21,[30][31][32][33] and richer in lysine than most other cereals [34].…”

Food Iron Supplementation and its Impact on Biochemical and Physical Fitness Component of Selected Sports Persons

“…However, the mean TIBC level had decreased from 347.49±39.97 to 342.9 4±39.74 μg/dl. Dietary iron interventions using a cereal product offer an alternative way of improving dietary iron intake 44 . The relation between iron status and physical working capacity was evaluated, and the effect of oral iron treatment on these variables, in athletes with borderline iron status was assessed 45 .…”