Neglecting your daily iron can leave you stuck with low energy

Every now and then, my teenage boys acknowledge my nutrition education, admit that I might actually know something they don't and ask me for advice. This week, they were complaining of being utterly exhausted, beaten up by the hours of forceful football practice and the first month back at school. They found themselves doubting they possessed enough energy to finish all of that evening's studying, let alone hit repeat the next day.

Of course, there is no elixir that I can whip up to magically give them a second wind or make them feel as refreshed as after a good night's sleep. I might offer my children natural remedies they often think are wacky, but I am no witch doctor.

I did suggest that they make certain they eat well during these long, tiring days and nights. I hinted that perhaps their choice to sleepwalk through breakfast, talk to their friends through lunch and rush through dinner might leave them without all of the nutrients, especially iron, that they need. Why iron? Iron equals energy. Iron's main job is to help carry oxygen from the lungs to every cell in the body. When you do not get enough oxygen to your cells, you are left feeling exhausted and weak — sound familiar, boys? Low iron is the most common nutrient deficiency in the United States. Even if my guys are not actually iron deficient, giving their cells a little more oxygen certainly cannot hurt.

Think about it: Getting oxygen to our brains, muscles and heart surely sounds like it would help energize each of these body parts. In fact, if our cells do not get the oxygen they require, they start dying. Makes you want to breathe deeply, doesn't it?

Oxygen in the brain greatly affects cognitive output; if the brain isn't getting enough oxygen, it certainly isn't going to be as sharp as it could. In fact, the brain uses 20 percent of all the oxygen in the body, so iron's delivery job is vital.

Athletic performance is also affected when kids do not get enough iron, as muscles, too, require boatloads of oxygen. Immune function and the ability to ward off colds are also affected when a body doesn't have enough iron.

Iron is integral to many enzyme functions, helping us digest foods and absorb nutrients. When we are able to access all of the protein, fats and carbohydrates from our meals, we have more energy and are healthier. Iron helps balance hormone levels, essential for any teenager. Iron also helps regulate metabolism and creates healthy skin, nails and hair.