Iron for Running Performance

You may know this feeling, sometimes, every step of your running feels like a slog, your form tanks, and no amount of gels or coffee can seem to perk you up. Sound familiar? The culprit could be something as simple, and as essential, as iron.

The Role of Iron in Running

Iron plays an important role in your body’s ability to transport oxygen. It’s a key component of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs to your muscles. When you’re running at intensity, your muscles are screaming for oxygen—and iron is the delivery service.

Low iron levels can lead to iron deficiency anemia. Symptoms can include fatigue, heavy legs, shortness of breath, and slower recovery times. Not exactly what we want during training, right?

Runners Are Especially at Risk

Runners, especially long-distance athletes, are at a higher risk for iron depletion due to several factors:

• Sweat Loss: You’re not just losing water and electrolytes when you sweat; iron escapes too.
• Dietary Gaps: Many runners focus on carbs and protein, but skip iron-rich foods like leafy greens or meat.
• Menstrual Cycle: Female runners are particularly vulnerable to iron deficiency due to monthly blood loss.
• Foot Strike Hemolysis: Repeated foot strikes can cause the destruction of red blood cells, which also can lead to iron deficiency.

Indian diets are often rich in plant-based foods, which are great for overall health but sometimes lower in bio-available iron. While a plant-based diet can provide plenty of non-heme iron it is harder for the body to absorb.

Signs You Might Be Low In Iron

• Chronic fatigue that sleep doesn’t fix.
• Feeling weak during runs that used to feel easy.
• Pale skin or dark circles under your eyes.
• Unusually heavy legs or poor performance.

If you suspect an issue, you can get your ferritin levels checked. Ferritin is a marker of your iron stores and provides a clearer picture than hemoglobin alone.

How Much Iron Do You Need?

The recommended daily intake for iron varies for regular people is :

• Men: ~8 mg/day
• Women (ages 19-50): ~18 mg/day

Runners may need up to 30% more iron than non-athletes to account for the extra loss through sweat, foot strikes, and increased demand from endurance training.

Iron-Rich Foods for Runners

• Dry fruits: Dates, figs, raisins.
• Pulses: Channa (chickpeas), lentils.
• Green leafy vegetables: Spinach (Palak).
• Lean Red meat: beef, and lamb is a rich sources of heme iron (best absorbed)
• Fish like Rohu or Salmon (also a rich source of heme iron)
• Nuts and seeds (especially pumpkin seeds)
• Jaggery (Gur): Swap refined sugar with jaggery

Should Runners Take Supplements?

Iron supplements can be extremely useful if your levels are low, but they’re not for everyone. Too much iron can be harmful, so only take supplements under the guidance of a doctor.

If you do supplement

• Take iron as a source of vitamin C (like orange juice).
• Avoid calcium and caffeine around supplement time—they block iron absorption.

It is not that complicated

Since the focus of the article is to highlight the importance of the iron, and to raise the awareness of deficiency, it may seem complicated. With the right foods, habits, and awareness, you can easily hit your iron levels.

This article is compiled by Team GeeksOnFeet for the love of running. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected].