Dietary Iron and the Elite Dancer.

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Nutritional Science
• Dance Science

Background:

• Dancers are an athletic population at high risk for iron deficiency (ID).
• Physique demands and intense training contribute to low energy availability (LEA), impacting nutrient intake and increasing ID risk.
• Untreated ID can lead to fatigue, reduced aerobic capacity, and iron-deficient anemia (IDA), hindering dancer performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the causal factors of iron deficiency (ID) in dancers.
• To review potential treatment strategies for ID in dancers, focusing on optimizing oral iron supplementation.
• To address the specific interplay between dance training, low energy availability (LEA), and ID in this population.

Main Methods:

• Literature review consolidating findings from studies on dancers and other athlete groups.
• Analysis of factors contributing to ID in the context of dance-specific demands.
• Exploration of evidence-based strategies for oral iron supplementation.

Main Results:

• Dancers' aesthetic and training demands create a high risk for ID, often exacerbated by LEA.
• ID progression can significantly impair a dancer's physical capacity and performance.
• Optimizing oral iron supplementation requires a dance-specific approach considering absorption.

Conclusions:

• A dance-specific understanding of ID is crucial for practitioners.
• Addressing LEA and optimizing iron intake are key for dancer health.
• Targeted oral iron supplementation strategies can support dancer health and performance.