Iron supplements?

If I were you, I would at least go in to get a blood test done, just to make sure you aren't anemic.

Good idea to get a blood test first. A supplement, 1 a day multiminer might not be a bad idea.

I coach a high schooler here in my community that had bad problems with anemia this past spring in the early part of track season. He had been training hard through the winter but was tired and pale all the time. I had been trying to get his parents to take him to the doctor to get some tests run, but his dad was between jobs and the health insurance situation was bad. After his first mile of the season was a very ugly 5:35, his dad, an accomplished cyclist, decided he had seen enough. A doctor's visit was immediately scheduled and it was determined that he and his mother both were severely low in iron. After two weeks on the iron supplements he felt and looked a lot better and ended up running 4:38 by the end of the year. He trained even harder this summer but was feeling bad a week or two ago. He got back on the supplements and we've already seen a change just this week. Due to his experience, I've started taking iron as a preventative measure. Does anyone out there know if there is a problem taking iron when you're not anemic? It's sold as a supplement to help your immune system, so I doubt there's any risk.

I took thee Iron splements to and if you don need all thee Iron yor body will piss it out.

Iron can be toxic if routinely taken in large amounts, so be careful about haphazardly supplementing. Usually iron deficiencies reflect caloric insufficiency, unless the person is on a serverely restricted diet (i.e. vegan). Iron from plant sources (non-heme) isn't absorbed as well as iron from animal sources (heme), which may in part contribute to iron deficiency problems in vegetarians.

Consumption of animal iron sources alongside plant iron sources can increase absorption of the plant iron. Also vitamin c containing foods eaten alongside iron containing foods help promote absorption as well.

Actually, one of the problems with iron is that you don't "piss it out." Your body regulates how much you take in, but if you take extreme amounts, it can damage your organs. I take an iron supplement regularly, though, b/c I've had problems with anemia in the past.

I meant multimineral. If you are a male and not iron deficient, or anemic one of the later stages of iron deficiency you should not be taking iron. As an earlier person wrote it can be toxic, actually it is toxic and can result in anemia. A different type of anemia but anemia none the less. I think it is called megablastic anemia and is characterized by large swollen and framented red blood cells.

Am I iron deficient for a runner?

My blood test came up at 53ug/dl. The range on my test sheet shows at 37-156 so I feel as though I am on the low side.

I kinda assumed that college athletes automatically get tested every 6 months. Is this not true?

Best to get a blood test before just taking a supplement; you can take too much iron. Besides hemoglobin and hematocrit tests (which can suggest iron-deficiency), a serum ferritin test (more expensive, but useful) will give an idea of iron stores. Normal range for ferritin is very broad (sometimes considered from below 20 to over 200), but normal ranges for hemoglobin and hematocrit are not so wide and a doctor can use these to give some advice. If in need, then iron can be of a great help. I've seen over 3-minute 5k improvement within a season, when the runner was quite anemic to start with. Still, additional iron may not be warrented so get it checked first

Drink a can of guava juice a day. Guava juice is high in vitamin C and very high in iron. The combination of vitamin C and iron together increases iron absorption.

Guava juice has the highest concentration of iron in a juice that I have been able to find. It would be in the mexican foods aisle of virtually any large grocery store. I get it for around $.60/can.

http://www.mexgrocer.com/6212.html

You could also make sure you are eating a fortified cereal like Total for breakfast or a snack. Drink juice with it.

20-200 is quite a large range. If that range is "normal" wouldn't it be better to be on the high side of that if you are a distance runner? Would you be able to carry more oxygen then? Would that increase your aerobic capacity? The same question would apply to hemoglobin and hematocrit - wouldn't it be better to be on the high side of the normal range?

Also, if I am shopping for iron supplements, what should I be looking for - there are all kinds of products on the market?

Fe wrote:

Actually, one of the problems with iron is that you don't "piss it out." Your body regulates how much you take in, but if you take extreme amounts,

????? of course you piss it out!!! its all regulated by the kidneys.

have you ever heard of iron toxicity?

duh..

http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants/toxicagents/iron.html

My ferritin level was to 9ng/ and I was passing out in races two years ago. I am very much a normal eater but was not absorbing Iron correctly my weight went from 110 to 124 at the same time. Still do not know why. I am currently at 44ng and this is considered to be good and my weight is now 114. I take Iron every other day with B12 spray and folic acid and Vit C. I also try and eat liver once a week. Things are better now but I really lost a full year of training befor my levels came back.

No real advantage to being on the high side in ferritin; just being above 50 is good. Higher ferritin won't improve the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood as does more hemoglobin. Sure, being on the higher side in hemoglobin is good,but too high is related to high hematocrit so the blood is getting thicker and too thick is not good & blood flow can be slowed down some. Middle values are ideal. Being around 15 & 45 in hemoglobin and hematocrit and 50-150 in ferritin places you in a really good range -- you'll feel good and perform well. If not doing well then it is something else that is not right.

Is there a test to measure if you are overloading?

If your serum ferritin is within the normal range and you are taking a supplement can you safely remain supplementing.

If you have overdosed how would you know?

Is there a way to de-tox?

What are the results of over-loading?

Iron Man wrote:

Fe wrote:

Actually, one of the problems with iron is that you don't "piss it out." Your body regulates how much you take in, but if you take extreme amounts,

????? of course you piss it out!!! its all regulated by the kidneys.

Iron supplements should not be taken without being prescribed by a DR. Iron does NOT get pissed out. Other supplements yes, but not Iron.

See a Dr, have the blood test and then only take prescribed Iron supplements. In the mean time start eating a iron rich diet.

Of course my advice is a worthy/worthless as the guy telling you to just take the Iron supplements because if you take to much you'll just piss it out.