Background: Hemoglobin mass (Hbmass) is important for athletes because it helps determine maximal aerobic power. This study examined how lean mass, iron deficiency (ID), and sex influence Hbmass in athletic and non-athletic groups. Methods: NCAA Division I student athletes (21 males, 75 females, altitude: 1,625 meters) were recruited from six athletic teams; 14 male and 12 female full-time students (non-varsity athletes) served as controls. Hbmass, body composition, and iron homeostasis parameters, including ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), hepcidin, erythroferrone, and 10 inflammatory cytokines, were measured 2-4 times across a competitive/training season. ID was defined as ferritin <25 ng/mL. Results: Hbmass was more closely related to lean mass (r²=0.90) than body mass (r²=0.69, p<0.01). Compared to females, males had 19.9% higher Hbmass relative to body mass (Hbmass_BM), but only 7.5% higher Hbmass relative to lean mass (Hbmass_LEAN; both p<0.001). Prevalence of ID was higher in females than males (47% vs. 9%, p<0.01), but did not vary between groups. Hbmass_LEAN was 5% lower in ID versus non-ID females; Hbmass relative to body mass (Hbmass_BM) was not different. ID was associated with lower hepcidin, elevated sTfR, and elevated erythroferrone, but not with differences in inflammatory cytokines. Conclusion: Hbmass varied significantly between athletic groups and across sex, but the majority of these differences are explained by differences in lean mass. ID was common in females and was associated with lower Hbmass_LEAN and hepcidin, but not with differences in Hbmass_BM or inflammatory cytokines. Hbmass relative to lean mass seems advantageous when monitoring iron deficiency.

中文翻译：

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在比较男性和女性运动组中的血红蛋白量时，瘦体重和铁缺乏的重要性。

背景：血红蛋白量（Hbmass）对运动员很重要，因为它有助于确定最大有氧能力。这项研究检查了瘦体重，铁缺乏症（ID）和性别如何在运动和非运动组中影响Hbmass。方法：从6个运动队中招募NCAA I类学生运动员（男21名，女75名，海拔：1625米）；对照组为14名男性和12名女性全日制学生（非大学运动员）。在整个运动/训练季节中，测量了2-4倍的Hbmass，身体成分和铁稳态参数，包括铁蛋白，可溶性转铁蛋白受体（sTfR），铁调素，赤铁酮和10种炎性细胞因子。ID定义为铁蛋白<25 ng / mL。结果：Hbmass与瘦体重（r ² = 0.90）的关系比体重（r ²= 0.69，p <0.01）。与女性相比，男性的Hbmass相对于体重（Hbmass _BM）高19.9％，但相对于瘦肉的Hbmass仅高7.5％（Hbmass _LEAN；两者均p <0.001）。女性的ID患病率高于男性（47％比9％，p <0.01），但两组之间无差异。与非ID女性相比，Hbmass _LEAN的ID降低了5％；相对于体重的Hbmass（Hbmass _BM）没有什么不同。ID与低铁调素，sTfR升高和赤铁酮升高有关，但与炎性细胞因子的差异无关。结论：运动组之间和性别之间的Hbmass差异显着，但是这些差异中的大多数可以通过瘦体重的差异来解释。ID在女性中很常见，并与较低的Hbmass _LEAN和铁调素相关，但与Hbmass _BM或炎性细胞因子的差异无关。当监测铁缺乏时，相对于瘦体重的Hbmass似乎是有利的。