If you are considering going on an exercise program this summer, an
expert in women’s health says be sure to get your blood into shape before jogging
up that first hill or hitting the gym. Dr. Cathy Carlson-Rink, a
Naturopathic Physician with 10 years in clinical practice, says unless you’ve built sufficient iron stores in your blood and tissues, you might easily decide your first experience working out will be your last. Women with iron deficiencies can easily experience a variety of confusing effects during and after exercise including muscle stiffness, heart palpitations and a feeling of great exhaustion — symptoms often confused with the effects of overtraining.
“Research shows those new to exercise can easily develop iron
deficiency, which could explain why you are having a hard time sticking to your new program,” says Dr. Carlson-Rink. “Plus, if you are also trying to control or lose weight through a calorie-restricted diet, you may be lowering your dietary iron intake at a time when the demands for iron are rising.”
Why are the demands for iron higher when you are exercising? Dr.
Carlson-Rink says iron is lost through sweat and from bleeding of the digestive tract caused when the body experiences repetitive jarring, as in aerobic exercise.
Blood vessels are broken in the feet while running. When we lose blood,
we lose iron.
And why does iron deficiency make it hard to get through your work out?
“Iron’s job is to carry oxygen around the body, so if you are low in iron, you are low on oxygen. Iron deficiency also reduces the muscles’ ability to utilize oxygen,” says Dr. Carlson Rink. “The good news for those starting fitness programs is iron supplementation has been shown to improve exercise endurance and performance. Through proper diet and iron supplementation, energy levels can dramatically improve in six to eight weeks.
Surprisingly, preventative iron doses of 20/mg/day were all that was needed to normalize iron levels and improve exercise performance.”
Dr. Cathy Carlson-Rink recommends adding iron-rich foods like spinach and kale to the diet. Seaweed can be added to soup. Other foods high in iron are raisins, prunes, apricots, lean meats, and eggs. In addition to dietary change, in her clinic Dr. Carlson Rink often prescribes a
plant-derived liquid iron supplement called Floradix that is non-constipating and easily absorbed.
“Tiredness and low energy levels prevent many women from exercising,” says Dr. Carlson Rink. “Optimizing iron levels with diet and supplements is a clinically proven way to increase pep, improve endurance, and help ensure an effective and enjoyable summer of physical activity.”
Dr. Cathy Carlson-Rink is the first person in Canada to be licensed both as a Naturopathic Physician and a registered Midwife. Floradix products are sold in health food stores throughout North America or visit www.florahealth.com.
