Understanding the relationship between exercise and anemia is very important for people with anemia.
Can exercise cause anemia?
Although physical activity is touted as a healthy lifestyle, people who regularly engage in vigorous exercise may actually put themselves at a higher risk of developing anemia. A study published in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism by researchers at Florida State University suggests that exercise may cause a blocking effect that inhibits the body's ability to absorb iron, causing or worsening iron-deficiency anemia.
Several conditions are known to cause iron loss during exercise. Mechanical forces, such as heavy running, cause blood cells to rupture and exercise-induced hemolysis can occur. During extremely intense training, iron loss is often accompanied by excessive sweating. Injuries great enough to initiate the body's immune response are catalysts for inflammation, increasing the likelihood of reduced iron absorption, Therefore, strenuous exercise can aggravate anemia.
Can exercise help anemia?
Recent studies conducted at The Ohio State University Medical Center have shown that regular exercise can improve anemia, most notably by helping to eliminate chronic fatigue. However, performing the right kind of physical activity is key. Endurance (aerobic) exercise promotes blood cell formation, a process known as hematopoiesis; more blood cells equals an increase in hemoglobin.
What exercise should patients with anemia do?
The main goal of any exercise prescription for anemia is to improve his endurance level and maximize gains while reducing any risk of further contributing to his already fragile physical condition. Choose activities that you enjoy and will participate in regularly. Walking, dancing, cycling and swimming are some of the more commonly recommended forms of exercise.
If your fitness level is relatively low, it is prudent to start with a short session of 10 to 15 minutes and gradually increase the workout by 5 minutes every 2-4 weeks. If the response is good, you can aim for 30-60 minutes, 3-4 days per week.
At least twice a week, a strength training program can be introduced. A safe starting point is to provide 1-3 sets of exercises for the major muscle groups with 10-15 repetitions per set.
What exercises should patients with anemia be aware of?
Know your body's fatigue so that you know not to push yourself too hard when exhaustion sets in. Frequent rest can help restore energy during exercise and allow the body to regain strength. Muscle soreness increases due to excess lactic acid buildup in the blood.
The National Academy of Sports Medicine recommends that people with chronic anemia not exercise when they have chest pain. Anemia can sometimes bring on a rapid heart rate or dangerous arrhythmias.
High-intensity exercise combined with dehydration may increase the risk of sickle cell crisis. One should be proactive in regulating their exercise intensity to stay within the established safe target heart rate range.
Which exercise is best for those with anemia？
Shorter workouts with frequent breaks are best for iron deficient people.
- Swimming
- Yoga
- Tai Chi
- Walking/Light Hiking
- Stretching
- Moderate biking
For weight bearing exercise, I have found kettlebells to be an excellent choice. I started with 10 to 15 minutes, then gradually increased my workouts by 5 minutes every 3 weeks. My goal was to reach 20-30 minutes, three days each week.
I felt this was a safe way to exercise my major muscle groups, doing about 10 to 15 repetitions per set, rotating the focused body part. Monday upper body, Wednesday lower body, Friday total body, using this kettlebell chart.
What does iron do for our body when I exercise with anemia?
The human body has a specific way of responding to various physical challenges, including endurance training. Intense exercise causes an increase in the total amount of hemoglobin, or iron-rich red blood cells. Over time, while the concentration of hemoglobin in the blood remains the same, the body is using more iron.
When this situation causes the body to use its reserves of iron, a cascade of potential health problems tumbles out. Dr. Laura Gavikian, a research scientist at the University of Canberra, says, "Iron does a lot more for you than just make red blood cells. It is also involved in energy metabolism, immune function, and even brain processes."
Iron is an essential element in blood production. About 70 percent of the body's iron is found in hemoglobin, or muscle cells called myoglobin. Hemoglobin is essential for transferring oxygen from the lungs to other body tissues; myoglobin receives, stores, transports and releases oxygen.
Our 6% iron is essential for respiration and energy metabolism, and promotes the synthesis of collagen and certain neurotransmitters. Iron is also involved in the maintenance of immune function. Approximately 25% of the body's iron is stored in the form of a compound called ferritin.
The average adult male body has close to 1,000 mg of ferritin reserves, which is enough to keep his body going for about three years. On the other hand, due in large part to menstruation, a woman has only about 300 milligrams of excess ferritin, which is only enough for her body to last for six months.
When iron intake is consistently inadequate, ferritin is depleted, with the immediate effect being a decrease in circulating hemoglobin levels. Severe iron depletion can produce a condition known as anemia.
What is the effect of iron supplementation when I exercise with anemia?
The role of ferritin (iron) in the body's energy mechanisms was illustrated by the results of a study conducted by researchers in Switzerland in 2011. The experiment identified 90 female subjects suffering from unexplained fatigue and divided them into a sample group and a control group.
All participants had hemoglobin levels within the normal range, but showed a decrease in ferritin levels. The control group received injections of a placebo substance, while those in the sample group received injections of iron supplements. Eighty-two percent of the subjects with the lowest ferritin levels at the start of the study reported reduced fatigue after receiving the iron supplement, compared to 47% of the placebo group.
A subsequent study that appeared in the Canadian Medical Association Journal showed similar results. A test group of 198 women who reported unexplained fatigue and low ferritin levels found improvement after receiving oral iron supplementation.
Both studies support the medical community's view that people with perfectly normal hemoglobin stores, whether they enjoy exercise or are more sedentary, may still exhibit the negative effects of low iron if their basal reserves have been reduced or depleted.
This condition can result from nutritional deficiencies, or chronic diseases such as leukemia/myeloma, HIV or sickle cell abnormalities. Dr. Gavikian's explanation is that the body prioritizes the use of any available iron in an effort to optimize hemoglobin levels; if iron reserves are limited, other bodily processes are compromised.
References
1. Exercise-induced anaemia: a forgotten cause of iron deficiency anaemia in young adults
2. Hemoglobin and Functions of Iron
3. Sports anemia, iron supplements, and blood doping
See also:
2. What Is Blood Test For Iron Called?
3. 2022 Best Home Hemoglobin Meter Buyers Guide
4. Can I take anemia tests at home?
5. How to choose the at-home kidney test？
6. What main factors influence the hemoglobin test for results?
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