1) Athletes tend to have lower hemoglobin concentrations than sedentary counterparts. This
has been called sports anemia, a misnomer. 2) Sports anemia is a false anemia and a …

Iron deficiency is probably the most common nutrient deficiency in the western world. Low
levels of iron in the body are caused by several mechanisms, and become symptomatic with …

In brief: A small percentage of athletes are anemic, and a substantial number have
hemoglobin concentrations that are less than optimal for endurance performance. Possible …

Trained athletes frequently experience low levels of blood haemoglobin (13 to 14 g/100ml in
men and 12 g/100ml in women) plus low haematocrit and low ferritin levels. These …

In brief: Diagnosing anemia in athletes is complicated, because athletes normally have
lower hemoglobin and serum ferritin concentrations than nonathletes. This dilutional …

There is an ongoing, unsolved debate as to whether iron supplementation, often used by
elite athletes, is really necessary or not. A preliminary question that needs an answer is …

Increased red cell destruction during strenuous physical exercise was first reported last
century (Fleisher 1881). Many years later, the possibility that this accelerated haemolysis …

Regular physical training leads to an increase of plasma volume by 10-20 percent.
Therefore, hemoglobin concentration slightly below normal values in the presence of low …

In recent years, epidemiological studies of the iron status of athletes involved in heavy
training have suggested that these athletes may be prone to iron deficiency. Several …

The prevalence of iron deficiency anemia is likely to be higher in athletic populations and
groups, especially in younger female athletes, than in healthy sedentary individuals. In …