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- The Best Time to Take Iron Supplements Is...
The Best Time to Take Iron Supplements Is...
Alfie Gordon & pninsider
March 24, 2025
Get smarter every week with expert opinions, in-depth analysis, and real-world case studies to elevate your practice.
Expert Opinion - Dr. Alannah McKay on Iron Supplements
The morning coffee dilemma: Iron supplements need proper timing.
Dr. McKay reveals the practical solution every athlete needs.
Iron deficiency affects 35% of female athletes, but some hinder absorption with their sacred morning coffee ritual—the tannins inhibit iron supplement uptake.
McKay's approach? Work with habits, not against them: "I never say don't have your coffee because I know the iron supplement will be the thing that gets knocked off, not the coffee."
The solution is simple but strategic: Take iron immediately upon waking, wait 30 minutes, then enjoy your coffee. Create a natural pattern that becomes automatic.
For coffee addicts, McKay tailors individual approaches.
Some need alternate timing: "Let's just do a night supplement because that might be the best thing for you." Others benefit from the newly discovered 30-minute post-exercise window when absorption increases by 29%.
Coffee's exact impact remains incompletely understood.
A flat white with calcium might inhibit differently than a black coffee. "Understanding how different coffee affects iron absorption is another thing we just don't really know, but we make inferences from."
The takeaway is clear: Even with imperfect timing, "Still take your iron supplement. Like, don't forego it altogether... It's just gonna be less effective."
Find your personal "clearest space of time" for optimal iron intake with minimal interference. Your performance depends on this small but crucial detail.
Watch Dr. McKay's full interview for the complete iron optimisation strategy. Save 25% with code "pnnmember25". LINK
Market Opportunity - Strategic Club Collaborations
Top pick: James Fleming's Rugby Nutrition Workshop
Our Take: Club workshops offer practitioners a fantastic opportunity to expand their impact.
James Fleming shows how delivering nutrition education to sports clubs creates valuable content while building meaningful relationships.
Why does this matter?
These workshops benefit everyone involved—athletes receive practical nutrition education, clubs enhance their player development programs, and practitioners showcase their expertise in authentic environments.
Documenting these sessions creates shareable content that highlights your work in action, potentially attracting both individual clients and other club partnerships.
James has good audio, good video, and has successfully collaborated with the sports team's social media page. Wins all round!
Check out James’ post here. LINK
Resource Roundup
Three tools we're excited by right now!
Arcads.ai – Create professional AI-generated video content with virtual actors for engaging presentations and marketing materials LINK
Claude AI – Powerful AI assistant that helps with research, content creation, and streamlining communications LINK
Alfred App – Massive productivity booster for Mac users with keyboard shortcuts and custom workflows that save hours each week LINK
From the Community
Small daily actions that create meaningful weekly progress when viewed collectively.
This Week's Shoutout: A nutrition coach from our partner community shared their weekly wins. They had a wonderful week:
What You Can Learn: What seems minor day-to-day often represents significant forward momentum when viewed weekly. Take time to reflect on and celebrate these compound gains. Have a weekly win to share? Reply to this email!
High Impact Job - Performance Nutritionist at Chelsea FC
Full-time role split between Academy and Loans departments. Deliver evidence-based nutrition support optimising player development. Requires SENr registration, higher degree in nutrition, and 5+ years elite sports experience with youth development focus. Football experience desired. Benefits include 25 days leave, pension, health insurance. LINK
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That’s all for this week!
Speak soon,
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