Mixed
A well-planned vegan diet is compatible with and supports athletic performance, offering benefits such as increased glycogen storage, reduced oxidative stress, and improved blood flow, without compromising strength or aerobic capacity compared to omnivorous diets.
If you are an athlete considering a vegan diet, focus on high-carbohydrate plant foods to maximize glycogen stores and include a variety of protein sources to meet amino acid needs. You must supplement Vitamin B12 and likely Vitamin D, especially in winter. Monitor iron and zinc levels, as absorption is lower from plant sources. The diet supports endurance and recovery through reduced oxidative stress and inflammation, provided you plan your meals carefully.
The Vegan diet increases glycogen storage as it is rich in carbohydrates... A key factor in delivering oxygen to muscles and other tissues is blood viscosity... Vegan diets reduce plasma lipid concentrations, leading to reduced viscosity... Compared to Omnivores, people who follow a Vegan diet have an increased consumption of antioxidants, which has been shown to be effective in reducing oxidative stress associated with exercise.
Why this rating
The paper is a review citing observational data and small-scale trials; it acknowledges a lack of large, long-term RCTs specifically on elite athletes.
Source
Influence of the vegan diet on sports performance
Patrícia Filipa Saraiva de Sousa · Sustainability and Sports Science Journal · 2023
DOI 10.61486/lisw1172
More from this paper
- Short-term adoption of a vegan diet (e.g., 3 weeks) leads to significant weight loss and reduced caloric intake without negatively impacting fitness scores or sports performance.Limited
- Vegan athletes may experience slower recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) compared to omnivores, characterized by greater delayed onset muscle soreness and reduced jump performance, likely due to lower protein and amino acid intake.Limited
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