How Iron Deficiency Impairs Performance
How Iron Deficiency Influence Athletic Performance
Iron plays a central role in carrying oxygen in the blood stream and is essential in ensuring optimal performance and recovery. If your diet is low in iron, this may lead to depleted iron stores and even iron deficiency which will inevitably negatively influence your performance.
How Iron Deficiency Influences Athletic Performance and Recovery
Iron helps transport oxygen so the less you have, then the less oxygen you can get to your muscles and consequently the less energy you will have. Iron is also important in maintaining a healthy immune system, so if you’re trying to avoid illness then making sure you are eating well is a good start.
Where do I Find my Iron?
Lean beef and lamb are a great source of iron and offer nutritional qualities essential to our diet, especially if you are are active. To help reduce the likelihood of your iron stores running low, you should aim to eat lean beef or lamb three to four times per week.
One of the biggest misconceptions about both beef and lamb is that they are high in fat, however when visible fat is trimmed off they become very low in saturated fat (that’s the bad stuff) and cholesterol.
Foods that are high in vitamin C help the absorption of iron and compounds called tannins found in things like tea, will inhibit iron absorption. So if you a keen tea drinker, try not and have it around meals times
Some people may tell you ‘just take a supplement and you’ll be right’, however it's important to remember that a healthy diet will always provide more nutrients than anything taken from a bottle. For example, lean beef and lamb is also a great source of protein, zinc and vitamin B12. All of these are vital in maintaining good health so you can continue to enjoy competing and training with your mates.
By Kath Fouhy, BSc, PG DipDiet, NZRD
