Abstract des Autors

To determine the effects of an 8-wk dietary iron supplementation (100 mg/d) on low plasma ferritin concentration (<20 ng/ml) and endurance, 20 active women (19-35 yr) were studied while performing a VO2max test and an endurance test (80% VO2max) on a cycle ergometer. Subjects were randomly placed in an iron supplement (IG) or a placebo group (PG) using a double-blind method. After treatment in the IG, ferritin levels were higher (22.5+/-3.4 vs 14.3+/-2.2 ng/ml; P<0.05), Hb increased (12.8+/-0.4 to 14.1+/-0.2 g/dl; P<0.05), and TIBC decreased (366.2+/-24.8 to 293.8+/-14.0 micro-g/dl; P<0.05). Also after treatment the IG's VO2max was significantly greater (P<0.05) than the PG value and their postendurance blood lactate decreased (5.03+/-0.44 to 3.85+/-0.6 mM/l; P<0.05). Endurance time to exhaustion increased 38% (37.28+/-5.03 to 51.4+/-7.45 min) following iron treatment; however, this change was not statistically significant. The results suggest that this level of iron supplementation can reverse mild anemia, increase VO2max, and reduce blood lactate concentration after submaximal exercise. Verf.-Referat