I don’t usually post whole
article here but I thought this one was interesting. It’s from ‘Running Bug’ and it’s a useful
read until you get to the end and see who sponsored the survey!
Always read with caution?
Why your diet
is making you tired
Do you feel like you can never quite catch up on sleep? Are you fuelling
your days with coffee?
In our recent survey we asked over 1000 runners about their energy
levels and diet habits- and the results are pretty eye
opening.
So tired!
A huge 76% of you said you often feel run down and low on energy so we
dug a little deeper and looked at your diet.
Over half the people surveyed said they don’t eat the recommended 5
portions of fruit and veg a day and 43% admitted to skipping meals and snacking instead.
While 35% worry they don’t get enough iron.
A lack of essential nutrients, including iron, can cause you to feel
constantly tired, but it can be difficult to get the required amounts in your
diet especially when balancing a hectic work and family life.
Vitamin supplements can help boost your diet but almost half the people
surveyed said this was not something they'd tried in the last few years.
Why do we need vitamins and minerals?
While vitamins and minerals don't provide energy they are needed to help
your body run, keeping you at the top of your game boosting your immune system, aiding repair,
and helping cells and organs work efficiently.
Vitamin C is an important one as it helps protect and repair cells
keeping them healthy and helps the body absorb iron, a vital mineral for
runners.
The approximate number of people suffering from iron deficiency in the
UK is unknown as it’s often left untreated, simply pushed aside as tiredness
but iron is crucial.
The body uses iron to create haemoglobin, the protein in your blood that
carries oxygen. Without iron your body struggles to produce red blood cells and
less oxygen is transported to your muscles leaving you feeling lethargic and
weak.
This is especially important for runners who are using large muscles,
increasing the need for oxygen to the muscles and have increased iron loss
through sweat and urine. Low iron levels can reduce your running performance
and general energy levels.
Calcium, along with vitamin D is also essential for optimal bone health,
a healthy immune system and to reduce the risk
of injury, inflammation and impaired muscle function.
How to stop feeling tired
Increasing your intake of some vitamins and minerals such as iron and
vitamin C can help increase energy levels, reduce tiredness and take your training up a notch.
While most people can get all the iron they need by eating a varied
and balanced diet longer distance runners need about 70% more iron than the general population. Eating iron-rich
foods like spinach, red meat, oysters, and liver is a great place to start but
for most runners diet alone is not always enough to reach adequate iron levels.
Specialist athlete supplement brand
Spatone commissioned this survey on over 1,000 runners. For an
extra iron boost try Spatone liquid
supplement and consider taking multivitamins produced
specifically for athletes.
