Runners Need Iron, But Where Can I Get it?
By K10 Patel / Nov 19th, 2023
Iron is a mineral that everyone needs including runners. But what is a mineral and why do I need them?
A mineral is an essential nutrient that our bodies need to function properly. Most people get all the nutrients they need by eating various foods. There are many minerals the human body needs, and iron is one of the most important minerals. Iron plays a fundamental role in our bodies by transporting oxygen and producing energy. This means that runners will use a lot of iron while running, especially during a long run.
Why Do I Need Iron?
Iron is used to make hemoglobin which is a protein in blood. This protein is what carries the oxygen from your lungs to every part of your body. During your runs, you are using oxygen to keep moving forward. Iron is also used to make myoglobin which is another protein that provides oxygen to muscles. The longer you run, the more oxygen supply you need, and this keeps the oxygen storage in your muscles in good shape. Everybody needs iron; however, runners need iron more than ‘stationary’ or passive lifestyle individuals.
Where Can I Get Iron From?
A lot of you are non-vegetarian with no restrictions in what you eat, so iron can be easily obtained from meat and poultry consumption. Consuming iron via meat and poultry sources is the best since the body absorbs animal-food iron sources much better than plant-based foods.
If your food choices are like mine in that you do not consume meats, it may be a little more difficult to find a variety of iron-rich foods. Vegetarians need a little more iron than the non-vegetarians. The human digestive system is made in a way that it does not absorb iron from plant foods as well as iron is absorbed from meats. Based on the limited plant-based foods that iron can be consumed from, I will provide the following list for iron sources. Note that the iron content below is specified on a basis of 100 grams.
Spinach 3.6 mg
Beets 0.8 mg
White Mushrooms** 0.5 mg
Tofu 5.4 mg
Dark Chocolate* 10.9 mg
Black-eyed peas 14.0 mg
Chickpeas 2.9 mg
Kidney beans 6.7 mg
Pinto beans 3.6 mg
Green beans 1.0 mg
Raspberries 0.7 mg
Asparagus 0.9 mg
*With 90% cocoa. Lower cocoa solids contain less iron content.
**There are many other mushroom types that have a higher iron content than white mushrooms. I will discuss those options in a another article.
Most people are not aware of the benefits of eating dark chocolate so I want to explicitly point it out from my original list above. Dark chocolate is a surprising source of iron and can be considered more of a snack item, but it’s a high iron content source in addition to other nutrients your body needs as well.
The seed family (sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds), nut family (pistachios, cashews, almonds), and dried fruit family (prunes, apricots, raisins) are also good iron sources but most people only consume these foods as snack items unless you find a creative way to include them in your meals.
Beets and raspberries are both low in iron content, but I add both to my whey isolate protein shake daily. I highly recommend making juices with beets and raspberries if all the other items on the iron list are not tolerable for you. There are a lot of breakfast cereals out there which contain iron as well – If you are a cereal person in the morning, look at the iron content on the nutrition label to see how much one cup of cereal provides.
This is obviously NOT an all-inclusive list of iron sources from non-meat products. There are more fruits and vegetables that can be mixed into your diet to obtain iron.
I would not recommend iron supplements because they do not work. Multi-vitamin pills that include iron also do not work. I’m not talking about anemic people because individuals with severely low iron in their body may have to resort to form of pills. This blog article is intended for runners and individuals who are looking for natural iron sources. Iron supplements simply do not break down in your body in comparison to how the meat and non-meat food sources would digest. If you have found a good brand and know of an iron supplement that definitely works, shoot me a message with the brand and where I can buy it on my Contact page.
How much iron do you need?
All adults (18+) need at least 18 mg of iron daily. This holds true for non-vegetarians. For vegetarians, I recommend 30 mg of iron daily. Based on the fruits and vegetables that provide iron, it will be hard to get to a 30 mg daily goal unless you eat the same foods every day.
How much is iron is too much?
Consuming too much iron is a rare problem, however, it is still possible. Simply put, I would not consume more than about 45mg of iron daily. For some people, approaching 40 mg may be too much since everyone’s body reacts differently but it is difficult to consume 45mg of iron. Consuming higher levels than 45mg can start to get toxic within your body.
How do I know if I have an iron deficiency?
This is a bigger problem than most people realize. A lot of vegetarians have iron deficiencies. And if you are a vegetarian runner, you are even more susceptible to an iron deficiency. The most common indication is that you are tired all the time. Other combinations of signs may include weakness and exhaustion, cracks at your mouth corners, mouth ulcers, brittle nails, pale skin, fingers/toes getting cold, nausea, and frequent infections. The signs can vary amongst individuals.
A low iron count may not be so noticeable in running performance, but it will hinder you from reaching optimal performance. A severely low iron count (anemic) will affect running performance negatively and your body will show signs of this during your runs. Running is an aerobic sport, so you may notice the iron deficiency during the runs or after the runs with any of the above-mentioned symptoms.
Final Thoughts
Iron is an essential mineral that needs to be consumed daily to maintain optimal running performance. Consume foods with iron or you may feel the energy expire; let your running performance rise higher. This is easier said for non-vegetarians. If you are vegetarian, the easiest solution to keep your iron levels consistently at par would be to start eating meat and poultry. All vegetarian runners probably won’t go for that option, so consuming fruits and vegetables are your best bet to get your iron intake.