High Prevalence of Iron Deficiency Exhibited in Internationally Competitive, Non-Professional Female Endurance Athletes—A Case Study

Abstract

Background: While iron deficiency is commonly discussed in populations of professional female athletes, less is known about highly trained, sub-elite female athletes (e.g., those winning international age-group competitions) who generally have less access to medical and allied health support. Methods: Thirteen non-professional highly trained female endurance athletes provided training diaries and completed a blood test, where iron markers of haemoglobin (Hb), haematocrit (Hct), C-reactive protein (Crp), serum iron, serum ferritin, and transferrin were assessed. Resting metabolic rate (RMR) and body composition using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) were also obtained. Participants were classified as iron deficient (ID) if serum ferritin was <30 ug/L serum ferritin. Results: Six of the 13 females were classified as ID. Serum iron, ferritin, Hb, Hct, and ferrin were greater in the ID group (p < 0.05). Crp resulted in large to very large correlations with serum iron (r = −0.72), serum ferritin (r = −0.66), and transferrin (r = 0.70). Conclusions: In this population of highly trained female athletes, 46% were diagnosed with sub-optimal iron levels, which could have lasting health effects and impair athletic performance. The need for more education and support in non-professional athletes regarding iron deficiency is strongly advised.

Nutritional Strategies for Endurance Cyclists — Periodized Nutrition, Ketogenic Diets, and Other Considerations

“…Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is frequently observed among endurance athletes and even a low ferritin level attenuates endurance due to premature fatigue. In highly trained, subelite female endurance athletes, almost half were iron deficient (ID) with serum ferritin <30 ng·mL −1 (17). After 1 month of endurance training, plasma levels of iron and ferritin were significantly decreased in Navy sailors (18).…”

Nutritional Modulation of Hepcidin in the Treatment of Various Anemic States

“…Finally, many studies reported iron deficiency as a frequent condition in both professional [64,65] and non-professional [66] athletes, especially female ones. If left untreated, iron deficiency can develop into anemia.…”

Parenteral Iron Therapy: Examining Current Evidence for Use in Athletes

“…Within athlete populations, it is commonly reported that the prevalence of iron deficiency (anaemia (IDA) and non-anaemia (IDNA)) is 15-35 % in females and ~3-11 % in males [8][9][10]. However, specific athlete cohort studies report > 50 % of a study population can present with compromised iron stores [11,12].…”