If you have a teenager in sports right now, there’s one nutrient you should start paying attention to – iron. Iron has been a nutrient of concern for many groups, but athletes are especially vulnerable to iron deficiency. Regardless of their sport, you should look for foods high in iron for teen athletes to eat every day.
Why is Iron Important for Athletes?
Iron is a key component in hemoglobin in red blood cells. It carries oxygen from the lungs to tissues in the body. It is also a part of myoglobin, which helps deliver oxygen to muscle and connective tissue.
Let’s not forget that it’s also important in physical growth, hormone synthesis, healing, and immune function.
Small amounts of iron are lost every day through sweat, urine, and feces. Teen girls lose iron through menstruation every month, making them especially vulnerable.
Athletes can also lose iron each day as a result of training through exercise induced hemolysis, which is the destruction of red blood cells through exercise. Most often, this occurs through the footstrike when the foot strikes the ground in high-impact sports, but it can also happen in low-impact athletes as well, such as swimming and cycling.
How Much Iron Does a Teen Athlete Need?
This answer is not as simple as it may seem. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for iron for teens ages 14-18 is:
Females: 15 mg/day
Males: 11 mg/day
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that active female teens may need a dietary intake of iron closer to 25 mg/day.
Vegetarians or Vegans need 1.8 X the RDA for iron.
What Happens When a Teen Doesn’t Get Enough Iron
For teen athletes, recognizing iron deficiency can look like symptoms from other causes. Fatigue or feeling overly tired, and difficulty concentrating are common, yet overlooked symptoms of iron deficiency and may be the first ones you notice. If your teen is getting adequate sleep and has not changed their habits but still complains of being really tired, take notice.
Gastrointestinal upset and getting sick more often than normal are also symptoms that could be tied to various issues. If this is happening more often, it might be worth a call to your pediatrician.
How to Get Iron From the Diet
Getting iron in a teen’s diet can be especially challenging as their food choices become more autonomous as they age.
There are two types of iron in the diet: Heme and Non-Heme. Heme iron comes from animal foods and is better absorbed. Non-heme iron is from plant foods and isn’t absorbed as well, which is why the recommendation is to have 1.8 times the RDA for those who only get their iron from plant foods.
Here are some sources of iron that fit perfectly into a teen athlete’s diet. Even though dairy is an animal food, it is not a rich source of iron.
| Food | Iron Amount |
| Iron-Fortified Breakfast Cereal | 3-18 mg per serving |
| Ground beef hamburger, 4 ounces | 3 mg |
| Medium baked potato | 2 mg |
| Cashews, 1 ounce (18 cashews) | 2 mg |
| Chicken breast, 4 ounces | 1.5 mg |
| Raisins, 1/4 cup | 1 mg |
| Egg, 1 large | 1 mg |
What to do if You Suspect Iron Deficiency
First, if you suspect your child might be low on iron, you should have it checked. It’s an easy blood test, and you’ll know in a few days. If they are low, your healthcare provider will either prescribe an iron supplement or recommend one over the counter.
Regardless of whether you are getting your iron from a supplement or from food sources, you need to ensure you are giving your body the best shot at holding it in. With the varying absorption of iron types, it’s best to eat or take iron with a source of vitamin C, which helps your body better absorb iron.
Some good choices are:
- Orange juice or oranges
- Strawberries
- Bell Pepper slices
- Avocado
- Kiwi
- Tomatoes
