Runner's Anemia and Iron Deficiency

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Abstract
Systemic Fe deficiency was found in 63 (56%) of 113 joggers and competition runners (33 women and 80 men). Thirteen women and ten men had latent anemia. A majority of the women were fertile with Fe loss from menstruation; the men were runners training long distances. The average transferrin Fe-binding capacity was 80 .mu.mol/l serum in the women and 77 (Fe-binding groups) in the men. The haptoglobin and Fe concentrations in serum were remarkably low (most often below 10 and 20 .mu.mol/l, respectively). Three of the long-distance runners ran 25 km daily. They returned with so much free Hb in their plasma that an accompanying Fe loss (integrated over months), if not balanced by diet, would lead to Fe deficiency and anemia. Oral Fe therapy (200 mg ferrous sulfate per day) normalized the Hb concentration and improved the transferrin saturation fraction in 61 persons. The competition runners reported personal records.

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