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The Effects Of A Vegetarian Diet On Dietary Iron Intake In Adolescent Female Endurance Athletes, Tucker Reiley, Heather Gerrish, Meghan Varner

Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)

A chief concern for female endurance athletes is adequate iron status which is partially determined by iron and vitamin C intake. This study examines the impact of diet on iron intake in adolescent female cross country runners. Animal-based iron sources are recognized as being better absorbed and more bioavailable than non-animal-based sources. Additionally, vitamin C promotes iron absorption. In this study, the independent variable was defined as a vegetarian diet (one excluding meat, fish, and poultry), with the control being a non-vegetarian diet. The hypothesis was that vegetarian cross country runners would have lower mean iron intakes than non-vegetarians. Data …