Figure Athlete - Pumping Iron

Pumping Iron
An Education in Iron... The Mineral
by Krista Schaus

Same title, different concept.

I've seen a number of female clients with signs of iron deficiency. In almost all cases, they've had to cancel training sessions or have reported not having the energy to carry out their daily lives. When I looked further, most fell victim to iron deficiency or mild forms of anemia due to a number of factors.

All were active, working mothers who made eating well and exercising a part of their busy lives, but due to unexpected events they may have started neglecting some of their healthy habits.

Some were simply not getting enough iron from their diet, others were not optimally absorbing iron, and yet others had eliminated entire food groups from their diet in an effort to lose weight not realizing the dangerous deficiency this was causing over time. Getting enough iron and ensuring maximal absorption are both essential for peak performance in and out of the gym.

Iron is the most abundant mineral on the earth, yet it's a very common nutritional deficiency. An estimated five million American women have anemia (low levels of red blood cells caused by iron deficiencies) and more than twice that amount suffer from temporary iron deficiencies.

Women are more likely to be iron deficient because of our increased needs during menstruation and pregnancy, and also due to a tendency to experiment with fad diets that often eliminate entire food groups. Many women also suffer from good old fashioned "busy mom syndrome" that leads to chronic low calorie, low nutrient intake.

Really though, who hasn't been here?

The daily requirements are only 18 mg for adult women and 8 mg for women over 50 and adult men. Iron deficiencies are common, but it is often absorption problems rather than intake issues that are the culprit. The average North American diet is actually iron-rich.

The RDA can be achieved with a serving of lean ground beef, a cup of mixed bean salad, a packet of cream of wheat, two handfuls of pumpkin seeds, and the recommended intake of 5 to 10 fruits and vegetables throughout the day, plus a daily multivitamin.

Mmmm... mixed bean salad.

The additional thing to consider about iron is absorption. Just like protein, you can take in all the iron you want (well, almost), but if you aren't taking steps to ensure optimal absorption your efforts will be wasted.

As opposed to other trace minerals, iron is regulated by absorption rather than excretion. To save us from toxicity, our body only allows about 1 mg of intestinal iron to be taken in at a time.

Without enough iron, irritability, fatigue and lightheadedness can result. Iron plays a key role in the body's oxygen transport and delivery system and also in the regulation of metabolism. It's needed to synthesize vital substances such as the brain chemical dopamine, DNA, and white blood cells.

Iron deficiency can do more harm than merely causing symptoms of anemia; it can have widespread effects including damaging a person's ability to think and weakening their resistance to infection.

There are two kinds of iron that affect absorption: heme and non-heme.

Heme iron is derived from the blood and although it only accounts for about 10-15% of total iron intake, it is absorbed at a higher rate than non-heme iron (22% vs. 2%). Heme iron is absorbed directly into the cells and isn't affected by factors that usually inhibit iron absorption.

Non-heme iron comes from dietary sources such as meat, vegetables, and fortified cereals and it accounts for most iron intake (85-90%). Non-heme iron has a low absorption rate due to many inhibiting factors, but the absorption can be greatly increased in an acidic environment.

Try to avoid low iron foods.

1) Test for optimal stomach acid.

This is a primary consideration! According to the authors of Why Stomach Acid is Good for You, over 90% of the population suffers from symptoms associated with low stomach acid. Most people are not optimally absorbing their nutrients, like iron, from food or supplements.

Examples of acid tests include the HCl challenge, the string test (done through a naturopathic doctor) and the cider vinegar test.

2) Avoid interfering dietary acids.

Stomach acid is important for iron absorption, but there are other acids found in seemingly healthy foods that can interfere with absorption.

Tannic acid: Found in black teas and coffee.

Phosphoric acid: Found in legumes, whole grains, and soy products.

Phytic acid: Found in unprocessed bran, oatmeal, and whole grains.

Oxalic acid: Found in raw spinach, Swiss chard, silverbeet, rhubarb, and soy products.

3) Eat a healthy, balanced diet high in iron-rich foods.

Iron deficient and anemic individuals often suffer from other deficiencies such as total calories, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and essential oils.

Some basic dietary improvements could go a long way to improve symptoms of anemia and iron deficiencies. Iron is best absorbed from meat, fish, and poultry and poorly absorbed from vegetables, dairy, grains, and eggs.

When it comes to cooking your veggies, Swiss chard and spinach should be steamed, boiled, or sautéed for at least two to three minutes. Raw spinach can be eaten alone in smaller quantities.

4) Supplement with a quality, broad-based multivitamin/mineral formula.

Even if you're eating well, you can't get all the nutrients your body needs. Even supplementing with one in isolation may have little or no effect. Minerals work in synergy, like many things that bring us optimal health and wellness.

Two capsules of Biotest ZMA provide 20 mg zinc and 300 mg magnesium.

Make sure the zinc dosage is no more than 25 mg and look for a full spectrum of minerals. Supplementing with too muchzinc for too long may induce a copper deficiency. Chelates such as calcium, zinc, manganese, and magnesium could decrease absorption of iron by almost half.

Iron and copper go hand in hand. Both need to be present for optional absorption, but toxicity is an issue. Stay away from cheap formulas that say to take one mega dose tablet per day. Quality multivitamins come from health food stores or are only available online.

5) Take ashwagandha and fenugreek.

Ashwagandha, also known as winter cherry or Indian ginseng, is an herb naturally rich in iron. It's been shown to increase hemoglobin and red blood cell count in people who are anemic.

As an adaptogen, ashwagandha helps protect the body against various emotional, physical, and environmental stresses making it a "best bang for your buck" supplement.

Fenugreek comes from the legume family. Both the seeds and leaves are used for culinary and medicinal purposes. Fenugreek seeds are very high in readily absorbable iron, fiber, and amino acids. As an added bonus, they've been shown to improve glucose absorption.

Use up to one teaspoon of fenugreek seeds to make tea and drink with or before meals. Save the softened seeds from the tea to add to recipes or eat alone. Cooked fenugreek seeds are bitter and have a hint of maple flavor. They can stimulate the secretion of your own stomach acid, which will further increase nutrient absorption.

Fenugreek falls into the "best bang for your buck" category because it can help to balance estrogen levels, increase libido, provide anabolic effects, lower cholesterol, and regulate blood sugar levels... just to name just a few of its benefits.

6) Make the most of food combinations and nutrient timing.

Right upon waking is the most important time to take key supplements or foods because your body is primed for absorption after being in a fasted state.

Before meals, drink the juice of a fresh lemon to increase absorption of any iron in the meal to follow. Drinking tomato or orange juice during a meal can increase absorption of a meal by as much as 85%.

Eating a meal with iron coming from meat and vegetable sources simultaneously has been shown to greatly increase absorption. Clams get the gold star for iron content with 22 grams per 3.5 ounce serving, followed by oysters, chicken liver, and pumpkin seeds, each with 8.5 grams per serving.

Avoid drinking tea with meals. Tea can reduce iron absorption by 60%. Coffee can reduce it by 35%. Try to consume any food or drinks that can interfere with absorption either alone or between meals.

If you do drink alcohol, red wine is the beverage of choice. It has been shown to increase iron absorption, but beer had no effect.

Cheers!

Using iron cookware is considered safe and can account for as much as 20% of a person's iron consumption. Although copper is an important mineral for iron absorption, using copper cookware isn't recommended. It's used for decorative purposes only because it's coated in other materials to avoid copper toxicity.

Could copper be the real culprit? If you're supplementing with iron and have no changes in anemia symptoms, consider the copper connection. Copper deficiency can prevent the release of iron from storage sites in your body, resulting in what appears to be iron deficiency anemia. This condition doesn't respond to iron supplementation, and can occur even though the body has iron available.

Anemia doesn't have to be something you just tolerate. It can be greatly improved, and in many cases conquered completely, by addressing one of many possible factors interfering with optimal absorption.

Like so many things that improve health, wellness, and performance, it's balance and synergy that remain a constant theme. Improving your diet over the long term is a healthier and more effective way to prevent and treat iron deficiencies, rather than just taking supplements and hoping for the best.

Keep striving for balance and start implementing the recommendations above to start pumping iron inside andoutside of the gym!

Krista Schaus is an adult educator, certified strength coach, and personal trainer. In addition to operating her business, Defining Edge Fitness Inc., out of Southern Ontario Canada, Krista is the mother of two children and a competitive IPF Powerlifter. You can learn more about Krista at www.definingedge.ca.

References

Broun ER, et al. Excessive zinc ingestion. A reversible cause of sideroblastic anemia and bone marrow depression. JAMA. Sep1990;264(11):1441-3

Cok JD. Food iron absorption in human subjects -- III. Comparison of the effects of animal proteins on non-heme iron absorption. Am J Clin Nutr. 1976;29:859-867.

Health Canada. The safe use of cookware.

www.hc-sc.gc.ca/iyh-vsv/prod/cook-cuisinier_e.html. Accessed August 1, 2007.

Anemia - Treatment options. content.nhiondemand.com/psv/HC3.asp?objID=100425&cType=hc. Accessed July 31, 2006

Northwest University. Nutrition Fact Sheet: Iron. www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/nutrition/factsheets/iron.html. Accessed August 1, 2007.

Nutrition in Clinical Care Vol. 5: Sept/Oct, 2002.

Watts DL. The nutritional relationships of copper. J Orthomol Med. 1989;4(2):99-108.

Ziauddin M, et al. Studies on the Immunomodulatory Effects of Ashwagandha. J Ethnopharmacol. Feb1996;50(2):69-76

Ellert, M. (1998). Nutrient Absorption. www.siumed.edu/mrc/research/nutrient/gi42sg.html. Accessed August 1, 2007

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