Written by Regin Smith | Reviewed by Fit with Food Dietitians

When it comes to an athlete’s dietary needs, they commonly need more than the general population. This is true especially when it comes to micronutrients. Micronutrients are the vitamins and minerals your body needs for growth and development, and are an essential part of every diet. It is especially important for female athletes to focus on their micronutrient intake due to their menstrual cycle. 

There are many biological differences between men and women that contribute to their different needs when it comes to nutrition and performance. For instance, men have a greater proportional muscle and bone mass, whereas females have a greater fat mass and lower blood volume.¹ These differences contribute to their micronutrient needs as well. 

There are many different micronutrients, but some of most importance for female athletes are iron, calcium, vitamin D, and folate. However, it is important to note that at this stage there has been no generalized nutritional guidelines for female athletes based on their menstrual status and/or phase.

IRON

Iron is a key micronutrient that helps with oxygen transport and energy metabolism. Athletes are at a higher risk for deficiency due to increased iron loss from sweating and reduced iron absorption from exercise.¹ Female athletes are at an increased risk due to menstruation. It is estimated that 5-40 mg of iron is lost each cycle during menstruation, meaning women need more iron to supplement this loss. In addition, iron absorption can increase during phases of menstruation where estrogen is elevated. 

It is recommended that females consume 18 mg iron per day, however for men the recommendation is 8 mg/day. Although this is the common recommendation for the general population, it is likely that this value is much higher for athletes and the athletic population.¹

CALCIUM  

Calcium is another important micronutrient that helps to support bone health in individuals. It has been suggested by the International Olympic Committee that athletes should consume about 1500 mg/day of calcium. Meanwhile, for the general population of men and women below the age of 50, it is typically recommended they consume about 1000 mg/day of calcium.¹ It is also recommended that calcium intake be spread throughout the day in order to maximize absorption. There are various foods rich in calcium like dairy products and plant-based sources that are easily added to the diet to increase intake. Also, there are sources of calcium that have high absorption rates like yogurt, cows milk, tofu, and chinese cabbage (Bok Choy).¹ 

VITAMIN D

Vitamin D is another micronutrient that is very important, especially for athletes, as it contributes to skeletal muscle remodeling, muscle function, immunity, cardiac structure and function, and bone health.¹ Vitamin D deficiency is very common in athletes, with about 33-42% of female athletes presenting with the deficiency. This is concerning since vitamin D plays a large role in the absorption of calcium, meaning athletes deficient in vitamin D have a greater risk of stress fractures.¹ In addition, for women, vitamin D plays a key role in estrogen production. This means that a vitamin D deficiency could impact mensuration, bone health, and fertility.

When it comes to vitamin D, there are many ways in which you can make sure you are getting enough. One of the main ways to get vitamin D that a lot of people forget about is adequate sun exposure. Meaning just 5-30 minutes in the sun each day can help your vitamin D levels.² In addition, you can get vitamin D from dietary substances such as oily fish, egg yolks, and fortified milk and cereals. However, it may be beneficial to supplement with 2000-4000 IU vitamin D3/day if  deficient.

FOLATE

Folate is a b vitamin that is essential in the new production of red blood cells, meaning folate deficiency can result in anemia and decrease in performance. Folate is naturally found in foods like dark leafy greens, legumes, oranges, and eggs.¹ There are also some foods that are fortified with folate. This is a deficiency that can be common in pregnant women, since the RDA is 600 μg of dietary folate for reproductive health and fetal growth, about 200μg higher than the recommendation for the general population.¹ 

References

1. McKay AK, Marc Sim, Peter Peeling. MICRONUTRIENT CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE FEMALE ATHLETE. Published June 2023. Accessed June 25, 2024. https://www.gssiweb.org/en/sports-science-exchange/Article/micronutrient-considerations-for-the-female-athlete 
2. Srivastava SB. Vitamin D: Do We Need More Than Sunshine?. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2021;15(4):397-401. Published 2021 Apr 3. doi:10.1177/15598276211005689