iron for women

Add iron-rich meats and vegetables to your diet, and eat them with foods that aid in iron absorption.

Eating citrus can help you absorb more iron.

RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS PA—A recent study of female soldiers found that undergoing military combat training depleted their iron levels, but iron supplements alleviate some of that decrease, and improved their physical and mental performance. It’s a reminder, say the study authors, that active women should take care to keep their iron levels healthy.

THE DETAILS: Researchers from the Military Nutrition Division of the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine conducted an 8-week, double-blind study on iron status in 219 female soldiers from a military base in Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Each woman’s iron status was measured with a blood test both before and after completion of a basic combat training (BCT) course, which involved aerobic activities like running and sprinting, strength exercises like push-ups and sit-ups, and military activities like rappelling and obstacle courses. The women’s moods were also assessed before and after the BCT course using a standard questionnaire. While the BCT course had a significant impact on the women’s iron status, the group that took were provided with iron supplement capsules saw less of a decrease in iron. Those in the iron supplementation group also reported improved vigor scores in the mood test, which indicates improved cognitive function.

WHAT IT MEANS: Even women whose everyday exercise routine doesn’t qualify as combat training may need more iron. “Based on these results, and those of other studies, I would suggest that even the average woman be careful to meet the current recommended daily amount of iron,” says James P. McClung, Ph.D., one of the authors of this study. That’s 18 mg/day for women aged 19-50, 8 mg/day for women 51 and over, 27 mg/day for pregnant women. Iron is an essential part of hemoglobin, the red pigment in our blood that allows it to carry oxygen throughout the body. Because all of the tissues in our body—including those needed for physical and cognitive performance—require oxygen to function properly, depleted stores of iron can make you sluggish and tired. Premenopausal women are already at a greater risk of iron deficiency and anemia as they lose iron during menstruation, and exercise can cause added iron loss.