No meat athletes a thing?

Vegetarianism is a diet that eliminates all kinds of meat from the diet, including poultry, fish, and seafood. Vegans give up on eating not only meat but also other products of animal origin, the production of which is associated with the exploitation of animals, such as dairy products (including eggs) and honey. There are other different types of vegetarian diets, individuals can choose to occasionally consumes meat (Flexitarian) or exclude all flesh and include dairy and eggs only (Lacto-ovo-vegetarian).

Following a well-organized plant-based diet is important to ensure their macro (carbohydrates, proteins, healthy fats) and micro (vitamins and mineral salts) nutrients.

Protein

Vegan athletes appear to consume less protein than omnivorous and are suggested that it is necessary to consume more protein. Protein serves as a substrate for exercise performance and a catalyst for exercise adaptation (Rogerson, 2017). Plant-based protein supplements include soy (and soy isolate), beans, peas, rice, seeds, nuts, and hemp.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the primary in energy supply and can also improve race performance and can enhance endurance by a high-carbohydrate intake. Plant-based diets are typically high in carbohydrates and can offer performance advantages (Barnard et al., 2019).

Fat

Fats in olive oil, olives, nuts, and nut butter, seeds, and avocados are particularly healthy choices Animal products are high in saturated fat, which can lead to heart disease, diabetes, weight gain, and other chronic conditions. So, the benefit of veganism appears to reduce in heart disease, hypertension, type II diabetes, cholesterol, and cancer (Rogerson, 2017). Individuals who intake low in fat and high in fiber can reduce body fat. Reduced body fat is associated with increased aerobic capacity

Micronutrients

Achieving micronutrient sufficiency is an important concern for all athletes. When intaking micronutrients individuals should pay attention to vegetables and fruit that contain in vitamin B12, iron, zinc, calcium, iodine, and vitamin D when designing a vegan diet in particular (Rogerson, 2017). This can help to decrease the effects of excess inflammation and promote recovery from training.

There seems to be a lot of disagreement between studies on athletes switching to plant-based diets because of reduced nutrient intake. Individuals that construct a poor vegan diet will have a difficult time achieving a high energy intake and deficiencies in macro and micronutrients (Barnard et al., 2019). When individuals follow a proper plant-based diet, they can improve certain physiological results. These outcomes are lowering body fat and promoting leaner body composition, improving glycogen storage in muscle cells through higher carbs found in grains, legumes, and root veggies, for greater endurance, increasing blood flow and oxygen to the body's tissues, reducing oxidative damage by combating free radicals with antioxidant-rich fruits and veggies, decreasing inflammation and speeding the body's recovery after intensive training (Barnard et al., 2019).

Vegetarian diets have gain popularity in sports. Some professional athletes are transitioning into becoming vegan or vegetarian, recognizing improvements in their heart health, performance, and recovery. Currently, the evidence for consuming a predominately vegetarian-based diet and improved athletic performance is lacking. Craddock et al. (2016) had identified eight studies, in their review, on if a vegetarian-based diet can attribute to improving physical performance, however, the vegetarian-based diet did not improve performance, nor did it hinder it. Even though Craddock et al. (2016) studies showed no improvement in performance; Lynch et al. (2018) explained that vegetarians tend to have better cardiovascular outcomes compared to those consuming omnivorous diets. This can help by decreasing the risk of morbidity and mortality from ischemic heart disease, the incidence of cancers, the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes, the risk of developing metabolic syndrome, and lower all-cause mortality. In the course of the research, it shows that athletes have adopted a vegetarian diet to obtain related health benefits, but also believes that a vegan diet can help achieve proper carbohydrate intake, weight management, and other performance-enhancing advantages.

References:

Craddock, J. C., Probst, Y. C., & Peoples, G. E. (2016). Vegetarian and Omnivorous Nutrition Comparing Physical Performance. International journal of sport nutrition and exercise metabolism, 26(3), 212–220. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.2015-0231

Barnard, N. D., Goldman, D. M., Loomis, J. F., Kahleova, H., Levin, S. M., Neabore, S., & Batts, T. C. (2019). Plant-Based Diets for Cardiovascular Safety and Performance in Endurance Sports. Nutrients, 11(1), 130. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11010130

Lynch, H., Johnston, C., & Wharton, C. (2018). Plant-Based Diets: Considerations for Environmental Impact, Protein Quality, and Exercise Performance. Nutrients, 10(12), 1841. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10121841

Rogerson D. (2017). Vegan diets: practical advice for athletes and exercisers. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14, 36. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0192-9