For those who are interested - my fave article this week (co-authored by a CrossFit Blackburn Alumni!): Iron deficiency, supplementation, and sports performance in female athletes: A systematic review For those who don't want to decipher an academic paper and just want the key takeaways: - Iron deficiency reduces aerobic capacity by 3%-4% BUT you can IMPROVE performance by 2%-20% with supplementation!! - Iron deficiency has similar impacts on explosive strength, but supplementation has wider ranging effects (i.e there more variability between individuals - more research needed). Kat’s Notes: - BEING IN RANGE ON BLOODWORK (i.e Ferritin levels of 30-50) is INSUFFCIENT to achieve top athletic results. ALL women who are undertaking any sort of athletic pursuits should aim for a MINIMUM ferritin level of 50. Your doctor might tell you your iron levels are 'normal' but you're still leaving gains on the table - I recommend testing iron / ferritin levels 2x / year in athletic females Nutritional Interventions to boost iron levels include: - Increase quality red meat intake (duh) – grass finished meat has better bioavailability - Eat your non-heme iron sources (leafy greens, beans, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds) with a vitamin C rich food (oranges, strawberries) - Cook in cast iron - Consider including a bit of organ meat on occasion or freeze dried forms When's the last time you had your iron levels checked?!