Iron Intake and Anemia

Iron intake is important in producing red blood cells, found in hemoglobin and myoglobin. Hemoglobin carries oxygen you breath through the blood for energy and to tissue. Myoglobin hold and stores oxygen for muscles during exercise. You lose iron through dying skin cells, urine, sweat, and menstruating. Iron deficiency can cause dizziness , sporadic body temperature, low energy, and lethargy. Women who are on their period or pregnant must be careful to make sure Iron levels are within the recommended threshold. Also, endurance athletes must pay special attention to Iron deficiency and especially if they are vegetarians. Iron is abundant in animal protein, more so in dark meat than light. There are plenty of vegetable sources for Iron for those who do not eat meat, but they can be inhibited or helped in their absorption rate. Vitamin C is a great inhibitor for the absorption rate of Iron. So a glass of O.J. with grains and cereals at breakfast, a broccoli and tofu stir-fry, or beans with a tomato based sauce are great ways to intake Iron on a vegetarian diet. Some inhibitors are tea, coffee, cocoa, soy, egg, milk, and others. These should typically be consumed between meals to avoid inhibiting Iron intake. Some foods are great sources because they have significant amounts of Iron and Vitamin C; asparagus, broccoli, cantaloupe, kiwi, green and red peppers, and more. It is not necessary to take an Iron supplement, even if vegetarian, if one eats a variety of foods and does not strictly control energy intake.  If an Iron supplement is taken, do not take at the same time as a calcium supplement as the two can inhibit one another.

Basics on How Energy Works in Your Body

Crash Course Thermodynamics: Your body releases energy stored within the chemical bonds of foods you intake, and temporarily traps it within the chemical bonds of special molecules known as ATP and creatine phosphate (PCr). The energy  stored in these special bonds is ultimately used to fuel muscle activity when needed, with the help of oxygen, and produces heat energy.

Carbohydrates (the best source of energy) can be stored in skeletal muscle and the liver in a starchlike substance called glycogen. Glycogen can become depleted after about 60 minutes of intense physical activity. Fatigue occurs about the same time that glycogen stores become low, for basic reasons; Active muscle that have now been depleted of their carbohydrate stores are forced to now rely on fat for fuel. Fat is not able to be “burned” as fast and efficiently as carbohydrates, so your body runs out of fuel. Also, the liver is depleted of its glycogen stores and is no longer able to store blood sugar, therefor it must struggle to maintain blood sugar levels by converting protein (from amino acids) sources to blood sugar. This process is slow and can not keep up with the pace at which muscle takes up sugar in the body. This can cause low blood sugar and result in lightheadedness and fatigue.