Do y'all think my anemia could be affecting my exercise?

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cafeaulait7
cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
This may be a dumb question, because I know it can in general :) My hemoglobin is low, and I'm with a gastro guy sending him lovely stool swatches through the mail and all that :D Those results will be a bit. I take iron 1x a day, Rx, from my GP. This has only been for maybe 2 months.

I definitely noticed having to rest during weight lifting, between sets. I felt a very strange tiredness and short of breath, but not in a scary way (just a tired way). So I worked around that by resting more.

Now, though, I have days where I'm just too tired to work out. Is that just laziness? I am certainly prone to groaning on some days before forcing myself to hit the mat. Is it the anemia? It mainly happens when I haven't eaten as much as I usually do, but I'm certainly eating enough in general (1400-2000, cycled).

I believe it's at about 800-900 calories that I've had so far in a day when I notice I'm too tired to work out. That's not a low amount to work out on, is it? Or is it the anemia (or a combo), you think? I don't know :( It just doesn't feel normal is all. I like the days better where I have some energy past 5pm!

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  • FrankieBenjamin
    FrankieBenjamin Posts: 61 Member
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    Anemia can effeminately affect your energy levels as you are lacking in a vital nutrient - most people I know with anemia struggle with tiredness. To me 800-900 cals and a work out seems low, which will def affect your energies. Sounds like you are already seeing your GP, but could something else be to blame - thyroid / chronic fatigue?- not saying that to worry you at all just ideas of other things that cause low energy, my mum has had both these conditions and they have both made her very tired. Vitamin c also helps with iron absorption so if you can take that at the same time that might help.Hope you work out what it is :0)
  • johan1585
    johan1585 Posts: 44 Member
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    that would definatly affect your exercise anemia is a shortage of red bloodcells they do most of the 0² transportation in your body, and like a fire to burn annying you gotto have 0².
  • drgardnerva01
    drgardnerva01 Posts: 19 Member
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    Yes. As just noted, hemoglobin carries oxygen, and without enough of the first you're not going to get enough of the latter.

    From what you've said, diet might have a contributing factor -- you could take a look at what kind of foods you're eating and when to ensure you're providing the right nutrients in advance of a workout.

    But that said, I'd focus on the anemia as the top priority. Is the gastro meant to help with this?
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    I'm anaemic too and the consequence is a high heart rate for a given work load. To shift the O2 your heart has to go faster as the blood carries less oxygen per unit volume.
  • forevermaryb
    forevermaryb Posts: 108 Member
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    I'm anemic and I've found I exercise best after having at least 2 meals for the day (afternoon/early evening) and after I've taken my iron (I take 650mg/daily w/vitamin C plus a multi-vitamin plus an iron rich diet). I just don't seem to have enough oxygen until then. If I work-out on an empty stomach (but not too full), I get light-headed. Calories seem to make a difference for me.
  • shazzielee68
    shazzielee68 Posts: 13 Member
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    yes I think that there are many contributing factors to lethargy and tiredness. I have been diagnosed with sleep Apnia and it definitely affects my willingness and ability to exercise
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
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    Thanks, y'all! I think I will keep on trying to eat more before I workout instead of later. And rest in between sets. And just accept that I'm more tired than usual, darnit!

    I haven't been taking vitamin C with my iron, and I really should. I'll get on that!
    Yes. As just noted, hemoglobin carries oxygen, and without enough of the first you're not going to get enough of the latter.

    From what you've said, diet might have a contributing factor -- you could take a look at what kind of foods you're eating and when to ensure you're providing the right nutrients in advance of a workout.

    But that said, I'd focus on the anemia as the top priority. Is the gastro meant to help with this?

    Oh, yeah, sorry :) My anemia is either: my ulcer causing a slow bleed (so that's why I'm seeing the gastro), from my heavy periods, or because of my ulcer meds interfering with absorption. With all those as possibilities, they don't really think it's anything else, and hopefully not even the bleed! It's probably my terrible periods and my medicine. I'm now on a hormone to stop my periods altogether, woot! Hopefully everything just clears up from that itself :)

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