Physical activity affects your body's physiology, altering your basal metabolism, hormone levels and rate of tissue growth. As a result, habitual runners often develop nutritional requirements that differ from those of nonathletes. Anemia -- a condition characterized by low oxygen levels in the blood -- and ringing in the ears, or tinnitus, both can develop in runners due to nutrient deficiencies.
Iron
One possible cause of anemia in runners is iron deficiency. Your body needs iron for proper red blood cell function -- iron makes up the active portion of hemoglobin, the protein that allows your red blood cells to carry oxygen from the lungs throughout your body. A runner who fails to consume enough iron develops red blood cells less able to carry oxygen due to a lack of functional hemoglobin, and this deficiency causes anemia.
Vitamin B-12
Failure to consume enough vitamin B-12 can cause both anemia and ringing in your ears. Vitamin B-12 plays an important role in red blood cell health, and individuals with a low vitamin B-12 intake can develop anemia as well as nerve damage that can cause tinnitus. As a result, consuming enough vitamin B-12 is essential to a runner's health, and McMaster University highlights this nutrient as especially important in an athlete's diet.
Intake Recommendations
Runners should consume both iron and vitamin B-12 every day to help avoid anemia and ringing in their ears. Athletes require approximately 30 percent more iron per day that nonathletes: male and postmenopausal female athletes should consume approximately 10.5 milligrams of iron each day, while premenopausal female athletes require around 24 milligrams daily, according to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. Runners also should consume at least 2.4 micrograms of vitamin B-12.
Considerations
Though an iron or vitamin B-12 deficiency might explain anemia and tinnitus in a runner, these symptoms also might develop due to an underlying disease that affects your blood, ear or nervous system. As a result, you should consult a doctor to determine the underlying cause of your symptoms, instead of trying to treat the anemia and tinnitus on your own by taking vitamin or mineral supplements without medical supervision.
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