Vegan sportswoman – Optimizing your intake of omega 3, iron, zinc and B12

Omega-3s and long-chain fatty acids (EPA / DHA)

Why are they important?

You’ve all heard of the famous anti-inflammatory omega-3s. Omega-3s are polyunsaturated fatty acids, essentially present in three forms:

• Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) of plant origin. It’s found mainly in rapeseed, linseed, camelina and hemp oil, walnuts and flax and chia seeds.
• Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are found in marine fats such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, anchovies and certain seaweeds.

It’s these omega-3s that your body needs most. They ensure the fluidity of cell membranes, regulate inflammation and help prevent numerous pathologies (cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression, mood disorders, postpartum depression, chronic inflammatory diseases, etc.).

Lack of consumption of oily fish means that vegetarian and vegan diets run a high risk of EPA and DHA deficiency. Even if it is possible to increase long-chain fatty acid status through the intake of plants rich in alpha linolenic acid (oilseeds, good oils), the level of conversion of alpha linolenic acid to EPA/DHA is by no means optimal in the population.

Alpha linolenic acid can be converted by delta 6 desaturase into EPA and DHA. But the problem is that in our European populations, delta-6 desaturase is only marginally functional (17-20%), so ALA will never be converted. We therefore find ourselves lacking in long-chain fatty acids.

How can I increase my EPA DHA status?

Several options are available to you:

• Introduce the consumption of small oily fish such as sardines, mackerel and anchovies (especially canned in olive oil or naturally) into your weekly routine.
• Increase your intake of alpha linolenic acid by regularly consuming first cold-pressed, organic vegetable oils (rapeseed, linseed, walnut). These oils should be kept refrigerated and consumed as soon as possible after opening. Consume oilseeds such as walnuts and chia seeds on a regular basis. But as we saw earlier, we don’ t really know our level of conversion.
• Opt for supplementation. But not just any kind!

Omega-3s are highly sensitive to light and heat. As a result, the supplements you buy should first tell you the TOTOX index, which should be less than or equal to 10, preferably even 5. Secondly, they should be kept away from light and heat: the best place to store them is in the freezer.

Unfortunately, we have to bear in mind that we have no visibility on preservation, storage and transport prior to purchase. For all these reasons, I believe that supplementation is the last resort.

You can have your omega-3 status checked via a specific assay called the fatty acid profile. This measurement is very useful for giving you the distribution of the different fatty acids. It is carried out in specialized laboratories: don’t hesitate to contact a professional to help you with this process.

Iron

Why is it important?

It’s an essential mineral involved in numerous functions: the main one being erythropoiesis (=red blood cell formation) and oxygen transport. But iron is also essential to our immunity, cognitive functions and energy production in the mitochondria. So it’s easy to understand why this mineral is essential for sportswomen, and why regular exercisers need more of it.

Add to this heavy menstrual bleeding, which is a source of high iron loss, intense sports activity, which creates intestinal micro-lesions that lead to blood loss, and a vegetarian/vegan diet that limits intake, and you can quickly find yourself at risk of martial deficiency (iron deficiency).

Vegetarian and vegan diets mainly provide iron in non-heme form, which is less well absorbed by the body than the heme iron found in animal products. What’s more, these diets generally contain significant sources of iron absorption inhibitors , such as the phytates present in whole grain products and legumes. Tannins in coffee, tea and cocoa also reduce iron absorption.

So if you have heavy menstrual bleeding, are a regular sportswoman and follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, I strongly advise you to have your iron levels checked, by measuring ferritin.

Symptoms that may indicate iron deficiency include unexplained shortness of breath, paleness, fatigue, dizziness, reduced strength, difficulty recovering or susceptibility to infection.

How can I optimize my iron status?

At the risk of disappointing you, eating spinach as popeye won’t cover your iron needs. To increase your iron intake, I recommend choosing foods rich in vegetable (non-heme) iron , such as lentils, soy, white beans, quinoa and chickpeas.

To limit the presence of chelating agents such as phytates, soak your legumes (lentils, white beans, chickpeas) at least 12 hours before cooking, and rinse your quinoa thoroughly.

When you eat these foods, I recommend combining them with foods rich in vitamin C, which increases the absorption of plant iron. In practice, you can add raw peppers, mandarin or kiwi segments to a lentil salad, or season with a drizzle of lemon juice.

And so as not to spoil all your efforts, avoid drinking tea, coffee or dark chocolate (cocoa) close to this iron-rich meal.

Seaweed (dulse, wakame) and spirulina are also good iron supplements.

Occasionally, certain situations require supplementation (only in the case of a biologically proven deficiency). In such cases, you’ll need to choose the right form of supplementation, and opt for bisglycinate iron. Lactoferrin, a protein found mainly in breast milk, also enhances iron absorption. It can be found in supplement form in association with iron.

Zinc

Why is it important?

Zinc is a mineral that is often overlooked as a nutritional priority, even though it is essential to your health and to your sporting activities, which increase your need for it.

In fact, it enables all the body’s proteins to perform their functions efficiently, and is invaluable for the functioning of your immune cells, hormones and muscle tissue (60% of zinc reserves are found in these tissues). It is also an essential cofactor in our antioxidant systems.

As you know, exercising increases our levels of oxidative stress, so we need to increase our intake of antioxidants and strengthen our own systems.

As with iron, zinc is found mainly in animal products such as seafood, meat and egg yolks. Zinc is also found in certain plant foods such as pulses, but to absorb it optimally, care must be taken in preparing these legumes to limit the presence of chelating agents.

How can I optimize my zinc status?

Regularly eat legumes such as lentils, coral lentils and kidney beans, which are rich in zinc. Soak them for 12 hours, then cook them in plenty of water, starting cold.

For vegetarians, you can eat a little cheese to supplement your intake.

Vitamin B12

Why is it important?

Found only in animal products and therefore absent from the plant kingdom, this vitamin is essential for DNA synthesis, the nervous system, the synthesis of neurotransmitters and thus our memory, learning and oxygen transport.

While the vegetarian diet allows a small intake of vitamin B12 through the consumption of eggs (2 eggs provide 1.1 μg against a daily requirement of 2.5μg), the vegan diet exposes us to an increased risk of vitamin B12 deficiency , which in the longer term can lead to neurological disorders and cardiovascular problems.

It’s important to remember that the body can store this vitamin in the liver, thus limiting the risk of deficiency, but if intakes dwindle over time, reserves diminish and deficiencies set in after a few months or years. This sometimes explains why people who have adopted a vegan diet are not deficient at first, but become so over time.

How can I optimize my vitamin B12 status?

So, if you’ve opted for a vegetarian or vegan diet, I’d advise you first of all to take a blood test to check your B12 levels, in particular by asking for an active B12 assay (not reimbursed, but much more precise than a conventional assay). Then, depending on the results, you should take long-term supplements, sometimes for life, especially if you’re on a vegan diet.

As for vitamin D, calcium, iodine and coenzyme Q10, we’ll look at these in a future article!