Stuck in a training rut? Explore the Runner\u2019s World Guide to Getting Out of a Training Slump<\/a> for expert guidance on recognizing burnout, finding your motivation, and making a comeback to your running journey.<\/p>\n I sat at the campus health center as a doctor walked through blood panel results with me a week later, a step my coach urged me to take after that brutal track workout. Turns out, I had both vitamin D and iron deficiencies<\/a>. As the doctor explained, the fatigue and muscle weakness I experienced were likely a result of my low vitamin D and ferritin (the form of iron stored in the body) levels.<\/p>\n I couldn\u2019t wrap my head around how I\u2019d developed the deficiencies in the first place, but the doctor had some ideas. I ate a well-balanced diet and spent plenty of time outside soaking up the vitamin D-rich sunshine, but my training load and predisposition to iron deficiency as a female runner simply meant I needed more of the two nutrients in my regular intake, the physician theorized. Luckily, I had answers to my fatigue and performance problems, but it would take some time, strategy, and doctor\u2019s orders to feel more like myself again as a runner.<\/p>\n Nutrient deficiencies can affect any runner, and they often share symptoms common to running slumps and overtraining. Knowing how to differentiate between regular fatigue and soreness and symptoms caused by nutritional deficits can keep you on a healthy running trajectory. \u201cI think for anyone who has trained for a marathon or an endurance event, you’re not always the most energized,\u201d says Amy Goblirsch<\/a>, RDN. \u201cIt can be hard to see that small line that can be just general fatigue from asking a lot from your body.\u201d<\/p>\n You can stay on track with your training and keep burnout<\/a> at bay by understanding some of the most prevalent deficiencies found in runners.<\/p>\n Common Nutrient Deficiencies in Runners<\/p>\n While it\u2019s important to keep regular tabs on all of your nutrient levels by undergoing routine bloodwork<\/a>\u2014ideally before every training cycle\u2014some specific vitamin deficiencies are more common in runners than others, and can lead to negative impacts on your training such as fatigue, muscle weakness, and slowed recovery.<\/p>\n Iron<\/p>\n One of the most crucial nutrients for runners: iron<\/a>. The nutrient makes hemoglobin, responsible for carrying oxygen in your blood to your muscles. With an inadequate amount of iron, you may notice your pace, endurance, and recovery suffer, as well as experience increased fatigue and difficulty finishing speedwork and quality sessions. You also may develop anemia, a condition where your body can\u2019t produce a normal amount of healthy blood cells, which significantly inhibits oxygen transport throughout your body.<\/p>\n Runners need to have higher ferritin levels<\/a> than the typical individual because they lose more iron through exercise, and use up more iron to make red blood cells and transport oxygen. Female runners also excrete more iron through menstruation each month, putting them at greater risk of developing a deficiency. While the normal ferritin range for an average person is anywhere from 10 to 15 ng\/mL, a runner should have levels between 30 and 50 ng\/mL to perform at their best.<\/p>\n Often, runners will notice the performance impacts first when they have an iron deficiency. \u201c[Runners will] say, \u2018I can\u2019t run quite as fast or quite as far,\u2019 or \u2018I can\u2019t do as many reps,\u2019\u201d Ariela Marshall, MD, an American Society of Hematology<\/a> expert, previously told Runner\u2019s World<\/a>. \u201cOr, \u2018I\u2019m doing the same workout, but I feel tired during it\u2019 or \u2018I feel much more tired than I usually would after I finish.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n You may also notice the other common signs of an iron deficiency during your training, including:<\/p>\n DizzinessHeadachesShortness of breathTrouble concentratingMood changesEasy bruisingHair lossHeart palpitationsPica, or the eating of non-nutritive substances (e.g., ice)Vitamin D<\/p>\n Known as the sunshine vitamin, vitamin D<\/a> is especially important for runners. It supports your muscle function, immune regulation, calcium absorption, and even bone remodeling and health. (No wonder I felt like I was moving in slow motion during my track workout.)<\/p>\n But don\u2019t let vitamin D\u2019s sunny moniker fool you. \u201cRunners may think that because they spend a lot of time outside, they\u2019re getting [the vitamin D] they need from the sun,\u201d board-certified sports dietitian Kelly Jones<\/a> previously told Runner\u2019s World<\/a>. \u201cHowever, we\u2019ve seen in research studies<\/a> on those who exercise outside, and I\u2019ve seen firsthand in my outdoor sport athletes who have regular blood work done, that many will still have vitamin D levels that are inadequate or even clinically deficient.\u201d<\/p>\n For runners, targeting a vitamin D level<\/a> of at least 75 to 80 nmol\/L is recommended by experts for supporting your health, immune system, muscle function, and running routine.<\/p>\n Symptoms of a vitamin D deficiency can include:<\/p>\n FatigueMuscle pain, weakness, or crampsTingling in your hands or feetMood changesFrequent illnessSusceptibility to bone stress injuryVitamin B12<\/p>\n For strong, sustained running, you need oxygen. That\u2019s where vitamin B12<\/a> comes into play, supporting your red blood cell production crucial to oxygen transport throughout your body, as well as DNA synthesis, neurological function, and nervous system tissue development.<\/p>\n You may notice the following symptoms when experiencing a vitamin B12 deficiency:<\/p>\n FatigueReduced exercise capacityNumbness and tingling in your limbsMood changesNausea or diarrheaIrregular heart rateSkin changes, such as rashes or pigmentationOral irritation, including frequent ulcers<\/p>\n Research<\/a> on vitamin B12 levels in athletes suggests that a range of 400 to 700 pg\/mL is best for supporting optimal exercise and performance. Though most people aren\u2019t at risk of a vitamin B12 deficiency\u2014typically classified as 200 pg\/mL or less\u2014it\u2019s more common among certain demographics, particularly seniors. According to some research<\/a>, an estimated 20 percent of people over the age of 60 have a vitamin B12 deficiency. People who follow a vegan or vegetarian diet may also be at a higher risk of developing a deficiency since animal products are the main source of vitamin B12, as well as those with health conditions that inhibit B12 absorption from the GI tract.<\/p>\n Magnesium<\/p>\n For proper muscle function, energy production, and healthy nerves and bones, you need magnesium<\/a> in your regular diet. It\u2019s a micronutrient essential for synthesizing protein in the body, powering your muscle and nerve function, and even regulating your blood sugar and blood pressure. According to the National Institutes of Health<\/a>, the common, healthy range for blood magnesium level is between 0.75 and 0.95 mmol\/L.<\/p>\n Common signs of a magnesium deficiency include:<\/p>\n FatigueReduced exercise toleranceMuscle weakness or crampingImpaired neuromuscular functionNausea or loss of appetiteIs It a Nutrient Deficiency or Burnout?<\/p>\n Many of the signs of vitamin and nutrient deficiencies are common enough in our daily lives that they can be easy to dismiss as relatively normal. If you\u2019re in a marathon block and feel excessively fatigued<\/a> and sore, you may just chalk it up to your higher training volume and intensity. A handful of tough workouts, and you may wonder if those stressful days at work are catching up to you. You may blame constant headaches and irritability on simply spending a lot of time running\u2014perhaps too much.<\/p>\n For better understanding of whether a deficiency may be sabotaging your training, look first at your daily food intake<\/a>. If you\u2019re not increasing your caloric needs to match your mileage, or struggle to eat after hard workouts or long runs, you could be digging yourself into a nutritional hole. Even factors such as external stress could affect your fueling routine and potentially lead to nutritional deficiencies. \u201cEspecially with runners that I work with, again, they\u2019re not professional athletes,\u201d Goblirsch says. \u201cThey have full-time jobs, and there\u2019s a lot of work stress, or maybe they\u2019re having all of these back-to-back meetings and they\u2019re struggling to meet their intake. Then, that could end up turning into a deficiency.\u201d<\/p>\n You know your body best. If you\u2019re noticing red flags aligned with a vitamin deficiency, and see your training heading down a dark path, it\u2019s important to seek medical attention and get to the root of the problem.<\/p>\n I was fortunate to have a coach who encouraged me to get a blood screening at my school\u2019s health center, but if you don\u2019t have a run coach or other expert at your disposal, it\u2019s important to be honest with yourself about your symptoms. A general rule of thumb: If your symptoms begin to consistently impact your life outside of running, it\u2019s time to visit an expert.<\/p>\n Treat Your Deficiency\u2014and Bounce Back in Training<\/p>\n The most accurate way to determine whether your fatigue, muscle soreness, or reduced exercise capacity is due to a deficiency is to get bloodwork done by your physician or medical provider. Update your medical provider on your running history and training demands to ensure they fully understand your nutritional needs and know what vitamins and nutrients to screen for in your blood panel. If you\u2019re diagnosed with a deficiency following a blood screening, your doctor or dietitian will likely provide you with a dietary and supplementation plan to boost your levels for supporting healthy training and lifestyle.<\/p>\n Adding food sources rich in iron<\/a>, vitamin D<\/a>, magnesium<\/a>, vitamin B12<\/a>, or whatever vitamin you\u2019re lacking into your diet can aid your recovery, but taking a supplement suggested by your doctor is often necessary for significant results. How quickly you\u2019ll see differences in your bloodwork and symptoms depends on the type of vitamin deficiency and severity of it, but it could take anywhere from a few weeks to many months. You could also notice your energy levels increase and symptoms subsiding even before your nutrient levels show improvement on a blood panel.<\/p>\n In my case, I needed a few months to regain that spring in my step. I took both an iron and a vitamin supplement daily (a routine I still follow five years later), plus added foods rich in each nutrient into my meals more frequently, including red meat, spinach, fortified cereal, and milk. But come time for my summer training block, all of those treatment steps helped me reach a point where I could tackle miles feeling stronger than ever.<\/p>\n Knowing warning signs to look for, and understanding when training fatigue could mean something more, can make the biggest difference in quickly catching and treating deficiencies\u2014and getting you back on track with your healthy running regimen.<\/p>\n Ashley is Editor of Content Hype at Hearst\u2019s Enthusiast & Wellness Group. She is a former collegiate runner at UNC Asheville where she studied mass communication. Ashley loves all things running; she has raced two marathons, plus has covered some of the sport\u2019s top events in her career, including the Paris Olympics, U.S. Olympic Trials and multiple World Marathon Majors.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"I remember my legs and arms moving in slow motion, as if restricted by the resistance of water.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":610392,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[103,61,60,185119,446],"class_list":["post-610391","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nutrition","tag-health","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-marquee-adjacent","tag-nutrition"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/610391","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=610391"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/610391\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/610392"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=610391"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=610391"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=610391"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Lettermark\"](\"https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/_assets\/design-tokens\/runnersworld\/static\/images\/logos\/lettermark.de74602.svg?primary=%2523000\")
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