Personal anecdote so obviously all n=1 caveats apply—I took light iron supplementation for a few months (one Spatone sachet per day) and it completely changed my life. Before, I could not run more than a mile, in 10 minutes, before collapsing. I got winded going up stairs, was often physically fatigued (although no other mental or non-fitness-related physical symptoms). After a few months of iron and no other lifestyle changes, I could run for an hour at 8 min/mile pace. Have stopped taking the supplements and benefits have sustained for 2 years. If you have mild iron deficiency, I really do suggest addressing it as the lifestyle gains could be really big, and I can recommend Spatone iron water as a delivery mechanism with fewer side effects.
If the the benefits persisted for two years after ceasing to take the iron, doesn’t that suggest that iron wasn’t actually the causal factor? Or am I missing something here?
It’s possible that once my iron reserves were replenished through supplementation, the amount of iron needed to maintain adequate levels was lower, allowing me to maintain my iron status through diet alone. Iron is stored in the body in various forms, primarily in ferritin, and when levels are low, the body draws upon these reserves.
I’ll never know for sure, but the initial depletion of my iron reserves could have been due to a chest infection I had around that time (as infections can lead to decreased iron absorption and increased iron loss) or a period of unusually poor diet.
Once my iron reserves were replenished, my regular diet seemed to be sufficient to prevent a recurrence of iron deficiency, as the daily iron requirement for maintenance is lower than the amount needed to correct a deficiency.
Personal anecdote so obviously all n=1 caveats apply—I took light iron supplementation for a few months (one Spatone sachet per day) and it completely changed my life. Before, I could not run more than a mile, in 10 minutes, before collapsing. I got winded going up stairs, was often physically fatigued (although no other mental or non-fitness-related physical symptoms). After a few months of iron and no other lifestyle changes, I could run for an hour at 8 min/mile pace. Have stopped taking the supplements and benefits have sustained for 2 years. If you have mild iron deficiency, I really do suggest addressing it as the lifestyle gains could be really big, and I can recommend Spatone iron water as a delivery mechanism with fewer side effects.
If the the benefits persisted for two years after ceasing to take the iron, doesn’t that suggest that iron wasn’t actually the causal factor? Or am I missing something here?
It’s possible that once my iron reserves were replenished through supplementation, the amount of iron needed to maintain adequate levels was lower, allowing me to maintain my iron status through diet alone. Iron is stored in the body in various forms, primarily in ferritin, and when levels are low, the body draws upon these reserves.
I’ll never know for sure, but the initial depletion of my iron reserves could have been due to a chest infection I had around that time (as infections can lead to decreased iron absorption and increased iron loss) or a period of unusually poor diet.
Once my iron reserves were replenished, my regular diet seemed to be sufficient to prevent a recurrence of iron deficiency, as the daily iron requirement for maintenance is lower than the amount needed to correct a deficiency.