Iron and Hematological Status among Adolescent Athletes Tracked through Puberty

Abstract

This study assessed change in hematological status among physically active children as they progressed through puberty. Values for serum ferritin, hemoglobin, and hematocrit at all stages of puberty were within the normal range of reference values. Significant changes in serum ferritin were not detected in the different pubertal stages, although serum ferritin was highest in prepubertal boys and girls. There were no significant differences in marginal or deficient iron stores between the sexes at any pubertal stage, suggesting that gender was not predisposing for iron deficiency; however, girls had a greater overall incidence for both measures. With more children under consideration, these trends may have reached significance. Boys in TS4 and TS5 had higher hemoglobin and hematocrit compared with earlier stages of puberty, and compared with girls at the same stages of puberty. This can be explained by testosterone production in boys. Among girls, pubertal progression had no significant effect on hemoglobin or hematocrit. In the absence of controls, there was no direct evidence that involvement in sports had an adverse effect on iron status.