Increased body iron stores in elite road cyclists.

Background: One third of French elite road cyclists were found to have hyperferritinemia on antidoping control tests performed during the Tour de France in 1998.

Purpose: This study was undertaken to determine whether hyperferritinemia corresponded to elevated body iron stores or not and, affirmatively, what were its mechanism, its clinical consequences, and its spontaneous course.

Methods: 83 elite road male cyclists presenting with hyperferritinemia, defined as serum ferritin level greater than 300 microg.