[Iron deficiency in female athletes].

Iron deficiency and anemia have been reported frequently in athletes. In São Paulo-Brazil among elite athletes overt anemia is uncommon, but our studies showed that they were in a borderline anemic state. Sports anemia is used to describe both pseudodilutional anemia and the true anemia of athletes. We studied 12 female young athletes, all with normal hemoglobin. Four athletes had laboratory features (serum ferritin, red cell volume, and/or transferrin saturation) suggestive of iron deficiency. There are association of high iron body stores with cardiac arrhythmia, carotid atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, liver and colorectal cancer but minor iron deficiency may impair the physical fitness.