| need iron |
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I am almost sure I have an iron deficiency. I have most of the symptoms, do not eat much red meat at all (and have not eaten enough calories in response to my increase in mileage over the past year). I went to the doctor today but didn't get any numbers, but the doctor said I was not anemic. Is it possible he is wrong? My performance has gotten worse as the season goes on, slowing down around 30 seconds in the 5k. |
| of red |
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Listen to your doctor then. If you're male, then you're not anemic. Eat some cereal stupid. |
| WhaddupDoc |
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Get the numbers, doctors diagnose you as a "average male", not as an endurance athlete (endurance athletes typically need much higher #'s then do average males). I had a ferrtin level under 10 and my doctor said I was "slightly anemic", when in reality it was so bad I was unable to do easy 4-5 milers at 7:30 min pace w/o stopping (sub 15 5k in XC the year before). Now up to 35+ after taking iron pills (ferrous sulfate) for a couple months and it's a night and day difference. |
| Seb Coe's Hair |
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As strange as it sounds, each organization has different classifications of what is truly anemic. For example, when I had blood tests done last year, I had ferritin levels of 9. My doctor classified that as "slightly aneamic." Yet the world health organization, IIRC, classifies ferritin levels below 30 to be anaemic. Wikipedia classifies anything below 12 to be anaemic and cause "restless legs syndrome." My point is that you should really get multiple opinions on your iron levels. |
| voiceoffeason |
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Get a cbc. Items that need to be looked at are hemoglobin, hematocrit, serum iron, ferritin, and total iron binding capacity. There are different types. If you don't eat a lot of meat or take supplements you could have iron deficiency, but because of distance running you could also have hemolytic anemia from foot strikes. Your doctor may not know about foot strike anemia and is probably making assunptions based on your probably healthy appearance. There are labs now that offer blood tests without doctors orders. See if you can find one in your area. |
| Randy Oldman |
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I got the same result after I'd been on a vegetarian diet for 3 months. Red meat restored my iron levels to above average within 3 months. |
| redux |
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Let's say I want to avoid getting A. Will juicing with a lot of spinach and kale help supplement my diet enough to avoid A? Assume my diet overall is good, but has some missing pieces. |
| Cold Weather Fan |
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I was told that leafy green vegetables are not as effective. Eat liver and kidney. They are delicious. The two types of iron include: Haem iron – found in animal foods such as beef, chicken and fish. Offal products such as liver and kidney are particularly rich in haem iron. The body absorbs just under one-quarter of the iron contained in animal foods. Non-haem iron – found in plant foods such as beans and lentils. The body only absorbs between two and eight per cent (less than one-tenth) of the iron from plant sources. Good vegetarian sources of non-haem iron include iron-fortified breakfast cereals, flours and grains. Red meat also contains non-haem iron. |
| mcmahon craig |
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Keep in mind, too, that you don't have to be "anemic" to have iron sufficiently low enough to impact your running. I keep track of my levels (I get tested ~twice a year usually, you can order a workup for like 40 bucks online if your doctor won't order the test- my doc is a semicompetitive cyclist, so he's cool with it) and have noted I run like CRAP if my ferritin is under ~40. A serum ferritin of ~35 isn't anemic at all, but for me, it's low enough to impact my running. Likewise, I have a teammate with really low natural levels of serum ferritin. When his is above 20 or so, he feels like a million bucks and can run well. It's less about what the doctor says and more about what works for you as an individual. HUGE disclaimer: TOO MUCH IRON CAN BE FATAL. Iron toxicity is SERIOUS. Don't go to town on iron supplements or something, just know that your ideal serum ferritin range might not fit medical guidelines. I am NOT a health professional, just an undergrad who's had some iron issues before. |
| snarky darky doo |
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IDK- the numbers on a laboratory report, perhaps? |
| tellin ya sum faxs |
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The common reference range from major labs, shiel,quest etc, is 20-250 ng/ml |
| need iron |
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Thanks for the help so far everyone |