What to do about low iron

It seems that American hero Alan Culpepper is another of the illustrious names (ahem) who has been bothered by a lack of iron in the blood.

The latest Running Times has a good story on this unsuspected scourge of distance athletes.. read it here.

One thing I disagree with. RT's Richard Lovett writes: "Treatment is fairly simple". Hmm. One runner in the article apparently solved it by eating steak; Culpepper took supplementa and six weeks later was OK. Not my experience :)

However, I'm TOTALLY in agreement with the suggestion not to accept that a "low normal" reading on tests means you are OK. Especially if you are training at altitude. "First, don’t settle for a simple statement of "normal" or "low" in your annual checkup, RT says Culpepper suggest. "Get a number, beginning now, by having your doctor fax you a copy of your most recent test. Culpepper: "Then start a file, so you can compare. That’s what I did, and my ferritin was lower than I’d ever seen in ten years of blood tests."