Claire Badenhorst

My initial research completed during my PhD addressed the substantive health issue of exercise-induced iron deficiency and the prevalence of this common nutritional disorder in endurance athletes. The research included the analysis of the causal mechanisms of iron deficiency in athletes through the inflammatory-driven increase in the iron-regulatory hormone, known as hepcidin, in the post-exercise period and nutritional strategies to reduce the impact of this hormone. My current research is directed towards understanding causal mechanisms of iron deficiency in females throughout their lifespan. This work is in female athletes and in the general population and to date is investigating nutrient-nutrient interactions of iron and vitamin D status, lifestyle factors affecting iron status, iron knowledge and literacy and the influence of the menstrual cycle on changes in iron status.

I also have a keen interest in Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) and the effect on all athletes (males and females) and the extent to which this is present in the active general population.