I am going a little out of my depth this week, but I felt like a challenge. As part of my moving to Colorado, I have become more aware and respectful of the woman athlete since much of my training is done with one. We often talk about nutrition and what we eat in a given day or for a race, and it got me thinking about what I need to eat versus what she needs to eat, and how much and in what areas our nutritional needs vary.
It is no surprise that men generally weigh more than women, have more muscle mass, thus a higher basal metabolic rate, and therefore require more calories than women in a given day, but what are the differences beyond the calories? Do men need more of certain nutrients and less of others or just more of everything? Well, prior to puberty the nutritional demands of boys and girls are not all that different, but once women become child ready their specific needs begin to manifest. The main differences in nutrition highlighted here involve iron, calcium, and folate.
Since women have more ongoing cycles in their body then men, they are more prone to certain nutritional deficiencies, and with lower caloric needs in general, it can be difficult to overcome these deficiencies. Blood loss can lead to iron deficiencies which makes it harder for women to receive adequate amounts at certain times. Men need about 8mg per day while women need about 18mg (28 when pregs) per day, while men easily get this from their food, it is harder for women since they need less food in a given day. Iron is important for the formation of hemoglobin (maintains oxygen in the blood) and the production of energy. Low iron can increase fatigue, and decrease concentration and memory. Iron rich foods include spinach, chard, beans, fish, meat, and peas.
Calcium is also more important for women than men. Thanks to milk ads, we all now that calcium is important for strong bones and to prevent osteoporosis, but it is also important for blood pressure, muscle contraction, blood clotting, immune function, and the transmission of nerve impulses; wow right? It’s that important, and for women its more important than men. Some calcium rich foods include kale, spinach, brussel sprouts, nuts, seeds, and figs. If you’re a numbers guy or gal shoot for about 1000-1500mg/day.
Lastly, folate; folate is one of many of the B vitamins, B9 to be specific, and is very important for all women wanting to have kids, since it has been shown to reduce the chances of neurological birth defects, as well have an impact on the overall fetal development. Folate also plays a role in cell production and formation (hence pregnant women), DNA synthesis, bone strength, depression, and fatigue. Good sources of folate include spinach (shows up a lot huh?), broccoli, beets, and beans. Shoot for 400-600mg(women) a day.
Beyond the biological differences, nutritional demands can vary between men and women for other reasons, most notably, the obsession women generally have with their weight. I am not saying men do not share it, and for those of you that know me personally, know I am probably worse than most women, but women tend to exercise for weight loss while men tend to for muscle gain, which implies more. Insufficient caloric intake can have several negative effects that accompany weight loss. So please be sure you are eating enough if you are going to exercise. More on this next week.
Thought- “No step. No story.”
-III
