Iron deficiency is a common health issue in active and athlete populations. Accordingly, research into iron status, regulation, absorption, and iron deficiency treatment strategies is increasing at a rapid rate. However, despite the increase in the quantity of research, various methodological issues need to be addressed as we progress our knowledge in this area. The purpose of this review is to highlight specific considerations for conducting iron-related research in active and athlete populations. First, we discuss the methodological importance of assessment and interpretation of iron status, with reference to blood collection protocols, participant screening procedures, and biomarker selection. Next, we consider numerous variables that should be accounted for in the design of iron-related research studies, such as the iron regulatory hormone hepcidin and its interaction with exercise, in addition to an examination of female physiology and its impact on iron metabolism. Subsequently, we explore dietary iron and nutrient interactions that impact iron regulation and absorption, with recommendations made for optimal methodological control. Consideration is then given to key features of long-term study designs, such as the monitoring of training load, oral iron supplementation, dietary analysis, and general lifestyle factors. Finally, we conclude our recommendations with an exploration of stable iron isotope tracers as a methodology to measure iron absorption. Ultimately, it is our intention that this review can be used as a guide to improve study design, biomarker analysis, and reporting of findings, to maximize the quality of future research outputs in iron-related research focused on active and athlete populations.

缺铁是活跃人群和运动员人群的常见健康问题。因此，对铁状态、调节、吸收和缺铁治疗策略的研究正在迅速增加。然而，尽管研究数量有所增加，但随着我们在该领域的知识的进步，需要解决各种方法问题。本综述的目的是强调在活跃人群和运动员人群中进行铁相关研究的具体考虑因素。首先，我们讨论了评估和解释铁状态的方法学重要性，参考了采血方案、参与者筛选程序和生物标志物选择。接下来，我们考虑在铁相关研究设计中应考虑的众多变量，例如铁调节激素铁调素及其与运动的相互作用，此外还有对女性生理学及其对铁代谢的影响的检查。随后，我们探讨了影响铁调节和吸收的膳食铁和营养素的相互作用，并提出了最佳方法控制的建议。然后考虑长期研究设计的关键特征，例如监测训练负荷、口服铁补充剂、饮食分析和一般生活方式因素。最后，我们通过探索稳定铁同位素示踪剂作为测量铁吸收的方法来总结我们的建议。最终，我们的目的是让这篇综述可以作为改进研究设计、生物标志物分析和结果报告的指南，