The publication MBJ Case Reports gathers this December the case of a 43-year-old man who was treated by specialists at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, after a blood test revealed that he had what is known as macrocytic anemia, a diagnosis that means there is a problem with red blood cells that prevents blood from carrying enough oxygen. Doctors ruled out possible causes, including possible gastrointestinal bleeding, and finally discovered that it was caused by impact hemolysis, a disease that affects long-distance runners. And it is the case that the patient was an amateur athlete who was preparing for an ultramarathon.
This condition is a condition that occurs more often than is believed from ongoing, long-term training. The continuous impact of the feet against the ground causes a rupture of the capillary vessels of that area of the human anatomy, which in turn causes a decrease in the number of red blood cells, which affects the amount of oxygen that can carry blood. This condition has also been observed in swimmers, cyclists and military personnel who do long marches.
Fortunately, the consequences of impact hemolysis are not particularly severe, but they do prevent an athlete (whether professional or amateur) from reaching their peak performance. But how can it be avoided? By alternating the hard workouts with less intense ones, and increasing the iron intake, since it has been observed that its deficiency can favor the appearance of this syndrome.