Research
Cellular
Initiating an exclusively plant-based (i.e., vegan) diet upon a diagnosis of cancer may pose risks due to elevated protein requirements.
Patients should avoid vegan diets immediately after a cancer diagnosis to meet protein needs.
LimitedSupportsmedium confidence
We further caution against initiating an exclusively plant-based (i.e., vegan) diet upon a diagnosis of cancer, given the presence of elevated protein requirements and risk of inadequate protein intake to support muscle anabolism.
Why this rating
This is an expert opinion.
Source
The importance of protein sources to support muscle anabolism in cancer: An expert group opinion
Katherine L. Ford et al. · Clinical Nutrition · 2021
DOI 10.1016/j.clnu.2021.11.032
reviewCited 70×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
Related findings · Cellular
- Athletes aiming to reduce fat mass and preserve FFM should consume protein intakes in the range of ∼1.8-2.7 g kg(-1) d(-1).Strong
- A minimum daily protein intake of ≥1.6 g/kg is necessary to observe significant improvements in muscle mass from whey protein supplementation.Strong
- Most athletes ideally need 1.2 to 2.0 grams/kg of body weight/day of protein, preferably split across 3-4 meals.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →