Iron Status and Physical Performance in Athletes.

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Human Physiology
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Iron is vital for muscle function and oxygen transport, with deficiency impacting athletic performance.
• While iron status in athletes is studied, optimizing iron metabolism and its effects on performance requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the importance of iron levels and metabolism markers for athletic performance.
• To examine factors influencing iron metabolism and their impact on physical performance.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted on the PubMed database.
• Search terms included 'iron', 'iron deficiency', 'hemoglobin', 'athletes', and 'athletic performance'.
• Eleven articles were included based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Main Results:

• Iron supplementation was most effective in athletes with the lowest iron status, enhancing performance in those with existing deficits.
• Supplementation may aid erythropoiesis during altitude training, even in athletes with normal iron stores, but requires caution.
• Hepcidin response, energy intake, carbohydrate availability, and vitamin D/B12 levels influence iron metabolism and status.

Conclusions:

• Iron supplementation is most beneficial for athletes with iron deficiency, positively impacting physical performance.
• Factors like hepcidin, nutrition, and vitamin status play a role in iron metabolism and athletic performance.
• Further research into optimizing iron status and related factors is warranted for athletic health.