title: Dietary iron intervention using a staple food product for improvement of iron status in female runners.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adequate nutrient intake is critically important for achieving optimal sports performance. Like all athletes, female runners require a nutritionally balanced diet to maintain daily activities and a successful training regime. This study investigates the effects of cereal product based dietary iron intervention on iron status of recreational female runners (n = 11; 32 ± 7yr; 239 ± 153 minutes exercise/week, of which 161 ± 150 minutes running activity/week; VO2max 38 ± 4 ml/kg/min).
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants completed a 6-week dietary intervention study. They were asked to replace their usual bread with iron-rich Teff bread as part of their daily diet. During this period, their dietary habits were assessed by multiple pass 24-hr recalls; iron status was determined by venous blood analysis for serum transferrin, serum transferrin receptor, serum ferritin, total iron-binding capacity and transferrin receptor/ferritin log index.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pre-intervention a cohort of 11 female runners reported inadequate daily dietary iron intake of 10.7 ± 2.7 mg/day, which was associated with overall compromised iron status. Over a third of all participants showed depleted bodily iron stores (serum ferritin <12 μg/L). Pre-intervention macronutrient assessment revealed adequate energy, protein and fibre intakes, whilst total fat and saturated fat intake was above the recommendations at the expense of carbohydrate intake. A 6-week dietary intervention resulted in significantly higher total iron intakes (18.5 mg/day, P < 0.05) and improved iron tissue supply but not enlarged iron stores. Improvements in heamatological indices were associated with compromised baseline iron status, prolonged intervention period and increase in dietary iron intake.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dietary iron interventions using a staple cereal product offer an alternative way of improving dietary iron intake and favourable affecting overall iron status in physically active females.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Tourism Management Old Hall Lane, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, M14 6HR UK ; School of Health Sciences, Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool, L16 9JD UK.
authors.forename: Ieva
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Alaunyte
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Tourism Management Old Hall Lane, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, M14 6HR UK ; College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences, Brunel University, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB8 3PH UK.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Stojceska
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Tourism Management Old Hall Lane, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, M14 6HR UK.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Plunkett
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Tourism Management Old Hall Lane, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, M14 6HR UK.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Derbyshire
keywords: Athletes; Dietary intake; Ferritin; Iron-deficiency