Link Between Ferritin, Vitamin D, Performance, and Eating Attitudes
                    in Female Athletes

Yuka Tsukahara; Suguru Torii; Yukiko Taniguchi; Torao Kusakabe; Hideki Murakami; Fumihiro Yamasawa; Takao Akama

doi:10.1055/a-2421-6891

International Journal of Sports Medicine, Table of Contents

Int J Sports Med 2025; 46(03): 182-188
DOI: 10.1055/a-2421-6891

Physiology & Biochemistry

Link Between Ferritin, Vitamin D, Performance, and Eating Attitudes in Female Athletes

Authors

Yuka Tsukahara

¹Graduate School of Sports Science, Waseda University – Tokorozawa Campus, Tokorozawa, Japan (Ringgold ID: RIN117107)

²Department of Sports Medicine, Tokyo Women's College of Physical Education, Tokyo, Japan

³Department of Family and Community Medicine, Caver College of Medicine, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA (Ringgold ID: RIN38334)
Suguru Torii

⁴Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, Japan
Yukiko Taniguchi

⁵Department of Orthopedics, Kyoto Daini Sekijuji Byoin, Kyoto, Japan (Ringgold ID: RIN38334)
Torao Kusakabe

⁶Orthopedic Surgery, Kyoto Daini Red-Cross Hospital, Kyoto, Japan
Hideki Murakami

⁷Department of Orthopedics, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences and Medical School, Nagoya, Japan (Ringgold ID: RIN38386)
Fumihiro Yamasawa

⁸Marubeni Clinic, Marubeni Corp, Chiyoda-ku, Japan (Ringgold ID: RIN217302)
Takao Akama

⁴Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, Japan

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Iron and vitamin D deficiencies can affect athletes’ health and performance. However, the epidemiology and associated risk factors remain unclear. Forty-three elite female athletics athletes (20.2±1.9 years) were included. A survey regarding the training schedule and Eating Attitudes Test-26, body composition, bone mineral density, and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and ferritin levels were assessed. Mean serum 25(OH)D and ferritin levels were 25.2±5.5 ng/mL and 29.0±13.2 ng/mL, respectively, and 83.7% and 41.9% of athletes had vitamin D and ferritin insufficiency, respectively. Serum 25(OH)D level was negatively correlated with the number of rest days per week (Coefficient,−6.19; 95% confidence interval [CI],−9.82–−2.57; p=0.002), and serum ferritin level was negatively correlated with body mass index (Coefficient,−3.87; 95% CI,−7.57–−0.16; p=0.041). Performance levels were positively correlated with serum vitamin D levels (Coefficients, 7.25; 95% CI, 0.25–14.25; p=0.043) and negatively correlated with EAT-26 scores (Coefficient,−7.30; 95% CI,−12.61–−1.98; p=0.009) and body fat percentage (Coefficient,−13.26; 95% CI,−24.66–−1.86; p=0.025). Vitamin D and ferritin insufficiencies are prevalent among Japanese female athletics athletes. Serum vitamin D level was related to performance level.

Keywords

athletics - anemia - iron-deficiency

Full Text

References

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