{"id":34975,"date":"2024-10-17T13:17:14","date_gmt":"2024-10-17T00:17:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.myfoodbag.co.nz\/explore\/?p=34975"},"modified":"2024-10-18T08:55:40","modified_gmt":"2024-10-17T19:55:40","slug":"4-things-you-should-know-about-iron-exercise-with-samantha-child","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myfoodbag.co.nz\/explore\/2024\/10\/17\/4-things-you-should-know-about-iron-exercise-with-samantha-child\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Things You Should Know About Iron &#038; Exercise\u00a0with Samantha Child"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>With the summer months right around the corner, many of us are beginning&nbsp;to find ourselves motivated to become more active, reintroduce exercise back in our routines and prioritise moving our bodies. But, what many of us don\u2019t know is that exercise can also have an impact on our iron status. Samantha Child our Fresh Start Nutritionist shares 4 ways exercise can affect the way your body uses iron, and why you may need a little extra! &nbsp;<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/54A0223-Edit-1-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-34990\" title=\"\" srcset=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/54A0223-Edit-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/54A0223-Edit-1-300x200.jpg 300w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/54A0223-Edit-1-768x512.jpg 768w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/54A0223-Edit-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/54A0223-Edit-1-1080x720.jpg 1080w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/54A0223-Edit-1-1280x854.jpg 1280w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/54A0223-Edit-1-980x654.jpg 980w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/54A0223-Edit-1-480x320.jpg 480w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/54A0223-Edit-1.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>But first, why is iron so important?<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Iron is found in every cell of your body and is needed for a number of various roles that all support your general health and wellbeing (1). Think energy production, immune support and brain health (2). There are many things that can impact our iron levels and how much we need, from dietary preferences to our age and gender. Those who are at risk of not getting enough iron include people following a vegetarian or vegan diet, teenage girls, pregnant women and athletes or very active individuals.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1<\/strong>. <strong>More exercise? More iron!<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you\u2019ve signed up for your first 10km run, trying out new HIIT classes&nbsp;or are a seasoned trail runner \u2013 it\u2019s important to know that moderate to strenuous exercise can have an impact on your daily iron requirements (3).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Regular intensive exercise (like &gt;30 min of a HIIT work out or &gt;60 minute endurance run) requires more iron to help the body create more energy. Evidence shows us that both recreational &nbsp;trainers and elite athletes are at increased risk of developing iron deficiency anaemia (4) due to;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Muscle growth can increase the demand for iron to produce new blood cells and tissue&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Iron is lost in sweat (cue heavy sweaters or those undertaking activity during summer months or in hot environments).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2.<\/strong> <strong>Female athletes are at higher risk<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Exercise can increase our need for iron, and female athletes may require even more. Currently, 1 in 14 New Zealand women are low in iron (2) and 1 in 3 will experience iron deficiency anaemia at some point in their lifetime (4).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many factors can contribute to low iron, but specifically for females of a reproductive age menstrual blood loss can play a big role (4).&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re a female athlete aged 19 \u2013 50, it\u2019s important know that your iron requirements (18 mg\/day) are the highest!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/samantha-gades-k95uqdEe8R4-unsplash-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-34977\" title=\"\" srcset=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/samantha-gades-k95uqdEe8R4-unsplash-1024x684.jpg 1024w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/samantha-gades-k95uqdEe8R4-unsplash-300x200.jpg 300w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/samantha-gades-k95uqdEe8R4-unsplash-768x513.jpg 768w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/samantha-gades-k95uqdEe8R4-unsplash-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/samantha-gades-k95uqdEe8R4-unsplash-2048x1367.jpg 2048w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/samantha-gades-k95uqdEe8R4-unsplash-1080x721.jpg 1080w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/samantha-gades-k95uqdEe8R4-unsplash-1280x855.jpg 1280w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/samantha-gades-k95uqdEe8R4-unsplash-980x654.jpg 980w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/samantha-gades-k95uqdEe8R4-unsplash-480x320.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3.<\/strong> <strong>Knowing the signs (early!) is the key&nbsp;<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Iron deficiency can sometimes seem \u2018invisible\u2019 \u2013 it doesn\u2019t seem like a problem, until it is! We know iron deficiency anaemia effects our general health, but it can also have a direct impact on our training and performance during exercise.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You may feel more tired or flat that normal during a session, and in some cases feel unable to exercise at all. Low levels of iron can reduce oxygen up take in our cells, reducing our performance capacity &#8211; particularly during aerobic or endurance exercise (3).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Knowing the signs that you may be low in iron is the key to ensuring you can get on top of it early. This can look like; (3)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Fatigue, during both daily activities and training&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Feeling breathless, dizzy or weak&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Brain fog&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Getting sick more often, for longer.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>4. Low iron or overtraining?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Fatigued, dizzy, out of breath \u2013 sounds familiar, right? If you\u2019ve someone who has worked hard during a training session or maybe hasn\u2019t had a much-needed rest day in a while, you\u2019ll be familiar with these feelings!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The tricky part with many of the common symptoms of iron deficiency is that they can also be attributed to over training. This is&nbsp;why regular health screening (i.e. blood tests) and check ins with your GP or registered health professional is so important.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are found to be low in iron (deficient), your health professional will be able to help you&nbsp;identify the right dose and type of iron supplement for you.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Getting enough iron&nbsp;<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There&nbsp;are plenty of ways to keep up your intake of iron \u2013 no matter your dietary preferences or choices. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ironweek.co.nz\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.ironweek.co.nz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">World Iron Awareness Week (14th &#8211; 20th October)<\/a> is a great time to reflect on whether your current food choices are supporting your exercise levels and personal&nbsp;needs. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Iron rich foods include red meat, chicken and fish, but also include many plant foods such as legumes, tofu, dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds and dried fruits. Many people also don\u2019t realise that some food products like breakfast cereals have iron added to them too! Including a variety of iron rich foods in your diet is a great place to start, but it is important to remember that everyone absorbs and utilises iron differently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are concerned about your iron status or ability to get enough through your diet, consult your GP,&nbsp;or a NZ registered dietitian \/ nutritionist for individualised advice.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>References<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"1\">\n<li>Healthify (2022) Low Iron (Iron Deficiency). Accessed online via <a href=\"https:\/\/healthify.nz\/health-a-z\/i\/iron-deficiency\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Iron deficiency | Healthify<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>World Iron Awareness Week (2024 The Iron facts. Accessed online via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ironweek.co.nz\/ironfacts2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">IRON FACTS \u2014 WORLD IRON AWARENESS WEEK (ironweek.co.nz)<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sports Dietitians Australia (2024) Accessed online via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sportsdietitians.com.au\/factsheets\/diets-intolerances\/iron-depletion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Iron Depletion &#8211; Sports Dietitians Australia (SDA)<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Medicine (2021).&nbsp; The need to screen for anemia in exercising women. Accessed online via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC8483825\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The need to screen for anemia in exercising women &#8211; PMC (nih.gov)<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With the summer months right around the corner, many of us are beginning&nbsp;to find ourselves motivated to become more active, reintroduce exercise back in our routines and prioritise moving our bodies. But, what many of us don\u2019t know is that exercise can also have an impact on our iron status. Samantha Child our Fresh Start [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":34990,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2353,2366,2361,2363,2368],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34975","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-exercise","category-fresh-start","category-lifestyle-wellness-tips","category-nutrition"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myfoodbag.co.nz\/explore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34975","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myfoodbag.co.nz\/explore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myfoodbag.co.nz\/explore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myfoodbag.co.nz\/explore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myfoodbag.co.nz\/explore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34975"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.myfoodbag.co.nz\/explore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34975\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34993,"href":"https:\/\/www.myfoodbag.co.nz\/explore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34975\/revisions\/34993"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myfoodbag.co.nz\/explore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34990"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myfoodbag.co.nz\/explore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34975"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myfoodbag.co.nz\/explore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34975"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myfoodbag.co.nz\/explore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34975"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}