Why Are Endurance Athletes More Prone to Iron Deficiency?

Question

Arun S. Muralidhar, et al., Iron deficiency in athletes: A review, examines why some athletes are more affected than the general population. Iron deficiency among endurance athletes is not uncommon. This deficiency is endemic to this type of athletes. Authors suggest that as much as 50% of middle-distance runners and up to 90% of long-distance runners suffer from iron deficiency anemia. It is often attributed to three main reasons: chronic losses of iron, inadequate iron intake or absorption and in some cases iron requirements due to training load exceeds the intake.

Answer 1

Due to the increased losses in sweat, urine, and gastrointestinal iron during physical activity, endurance athletes suffer more frequently from iron deficiency. It is also the case that the endurance aspect of these activities physically shortens the life span of red blood cells. Especially female athletes should be careful because of the blood loss through menstruation and the iron consumed in food may not sufficiently satiate the increased need.