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Nutrients Dec 2018Plant-based diets provide well-established physical and environmental health benefits. These benefits stem in part from the degree of restriction of animal-derived... (Review)
Review
Plant-based diets provide well-established physical and environmental health benefits. These benefits stem in part from the degree of restriction of animal-derived foods. Historically, meat and other animal-derived proteins have been viewed as an integral component of athletes' diets, leading some to question the adequacy of vegetarian or vegan diets for supporting athletic performance. The purpose of this review is to examine the impact of plant-based diets on human physical health, environmental sustainability, and exercise performance capacity. Based on currently available literature, it is unlikely that plant-based diets provide advantages, but do not suffer from disadvantages, compared to omnivorous diets for strength, anaerobic, or aerobic exercise performance. However, plant-based diets typically reduce the risk of developing numerous chronic diseases over the lifespan and require fewer natural resources for production compared to meat-containing diets. As such, plant-based diets appear to be viable options for adequately supporting athletic performance while concurrently contributing to overall physical and environmental health. Given the sparse literature comparing omnivore, vegetarian, and vegan athletes, particularly at the elite level, further research is warranted to ascertain differences that might appear at the highest levels of training and athletic performance.
Topics: Athletic Performance; Conservation of Natural Resources; Diet, Vegan; Diet, Vegetarian; Dietary Proteins; Environment; Exercise; Feeding Behavior; Humans; Vegetarians
PubMed: 30513704
DOI: 10.3390/nu10121841 -
Nutrients Nov 2023In recent years, the vegetarian diet has increased in popularity among athletes. The aim of this review is to ascertain the differences in variables related to... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
In recent years, the vegetarian diet has increased in popularity among athletes. The aim of this review is to ascertain the differences in variables related to performance, nutritional intake, and health in athletes according to whether they are omnivores or vegetarians.
METHODOLOGY
A literature search was carried out in different databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Dialnet, and Cochrane. The keywords used were "vegetarian diet", "vegan diet", "exercise", "sport", and "performance". After applying different inclusion criteria, six studies were included in the review.
RESULTS
No significant differences were obtained in variables related to physical performance (adherence exercise, Vo2Máx, muscle power, and sprint test) or health (body composition, psychological well-being, and social relationships), but dietary intake was significantly higher in carbohydrates and lower in proteins in vegetarian athletes ( < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
It cannot be affirmed that vegetarian subjects have a higher sports performance, for which more research should be carried out.
Topics: Humans; Diet, Vegetarian; Vegetarians; Diet, Vegan; Exercise; Athletic Performance; Diet
PubMed: 37960356
DOI: 10.3390/nu15214703 -
Critical Reviews in Food Science and... 2021It is known that nutritional composition of breast milk is, to a certain extent, related to maternal diet. The question of nutritional adequacy of mothers' milk is often...
It is known that nutritional composition of breast milk is, to a certain extent, related to maternal diet. The question of nutritional adequacy of mothers' milk is often raised whenever a vegetarian or vegan diet during the lactation process is concerned. For this reason, in some countries, the recruitment of vegan lactating women as milk donors is excluded by milk banks. The purpose of this systematic review is to summarize existing knowledge on variability of specific nutrients in breastmilk of mothers adhering to a plant-based diet. The databases, including MEDLINE (Pubmed) and Scopus, were used to identify relevant publications. Data extraction and analysis were conducted following a PRISMA protocol. Thirteen publications concerning the impact of dietary pattern and levels of animal-origin food intake on breast milk composition were included. The systematic review has shown that all non-vegetarian, vegetarian and vegan mothers produce breast milk of comparable nutritional value. Several differences are primarily attributed to fatty acids and some micro-components, primarily vitamin B12. Regardless of dietary choices, nourishment and adequate nutrition have a significant impact on human milk composition - on the basis of the current evidence, vegetarian and vegan mothers are capable of producing nutritionally valuable milk for their infants, as far as the appropriate supplementation compensating for breastfeeding mother's nutritional requirements is provided. Dietary choices should not be a permanent exclusion criterion for donor candidates in human milk banks.
Topics: Animals; Breast Feeding; Diet; Diet, Vegan; Diet, Vegetarian; Female; Humans; Infant; Lactation; Milk, Human; Vegans
PubMed: 32319307
DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2020.1753650 -
The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society May 2021In parallel with increased public awareness of the health and environmental benefits of consuming a plant-based diet, the numbers of people who identify as vegan has...
In parallel with increased public awareness of the health and environmental benefits of consuming a plant-based diet, the numbers of people who identify as vegan has increased sharply. The question of whether vegetarian and vegan diets are appropriate for children is a longstanding and unresolved controversy. The more restrictive the diet and the younger the child, the greater the risk of nutritional deficiency. Nutrients of potential concern are protein quantity and quality, iron, zinc, selenium, calcium, riboflavin, vitamins A, D, B12 and essential fatty acids. Although intakes and status of some nutrients (e.g. vitamin D and iron) are low in many children, vegan children are particularly susceptible due to inadequate supply and/or excess dietary fibre as well as other components that limit bioavailability. Although position papers from North America state that well-planned vegetarian and vegan diets, supplemented appropriately, are suitable for all life stages, European statements include strong recommendations to parents that vegan diets should not be adopted by children without medical and dietetic supervision. Case histories of malnutrition and serious harm persist, including irreversible neurological damage due to vitamin B12 deficiency among un-supplemented children. The evidence available to evaluate the nutritional appropriateness of vegetarian diets for children is inadequate and dated. Although nutritionally adequate vegetarian diets are more easily achieved, successful provision of a complete vegan diet for a young child requires substantial commitment, expert guidance, planning, resources and supplementation.
Topics: Child; Diet, Vegan; Diet, Vegetarian; Dietary Proteins; Humans; Risk Assessment; Vegans
PubMed: 33504371
DOI: 10.1017/S002966512100001X -
Nutrients Feb 2022This interventional study examined the effect of a four-week vegan diet (Veg) during a four-week high-intensity functional training (HIFT) on performance, training... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
This interventional study examined the effect of a four-week vegan diet (Veg) during a four-week high-intensity functional training (HIFT) on performance, training results and blood biochemical indices in female ( = 12) and male ( = 8) moderate-trained CrossFit participants. The whole study group performed the maximum number of repetitions with a load of 70% one repetition-maximum (1RM) and a modified Fight Gone Bad (FGB) test before and after a dietary intervention (the group was divided to follow a Veg or a traditional mixed diet (Mix)) in a randomised and parallel design. Pre-exercise resting blood samples were also analysed. There was a significant improvement in the number of repetitions performed at a load corresponding to 70% of 1RM in the classic squat in the Mix group ( < 0.001), and in the classic deadlift in the Veg group ( = 0.014). Furthermore, there was a significant improvement in the results of the FGB performance test after a Mix. Moreover, an improvement in some exercises in the modified FGB test (Wall Ball after the Veg and the Mix, and rowing after the Mix) was also observed. However, differences between the Mix and the Veg groups were not clinically relevant. In conclusion, the short-term study conducted here indicated that a Veg in HIFT training positively affects strength endurance in the classic deadlift but is unlikely to be more beneficial in improving performance than a Mix.
Topics: Diet, Vegan; Exercise; Female; Humans; Male; Muscle Strength; Muscle, Skeletal; Resistance Training
PubMed: 35215544
DOI: 10.3390/nu14040894 -
The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society May 2022The concept of plant-based diets has become popular due to the purported benefits for both human health and environmental impact. Although 'plant-based' is sometimes... (Review)
Review
The concept of plant-based diets has become popular due to the purported benefits for both human health and environmental impact. Although 'plant-based' is sometimes used to indicate omnivorous diets with a relatively small component of animal foods, here we take it to mean either vegetarian (plant-based plus dairy products and/or eggs) or vegan (100% plant-based). Important characteristics of plant-based diets which would be expected to be beneficial for long-term health are low intakes of saturated fat and high intakes of dietary fibre, whereas potentially deleterious characteristics are the risk of low intakes of some micronutrients such as vitamin B, vitamin D, calcium and iodine, particularly in vegans. Vegetarians and vegans typically have lower BMI, serum LDL cholesterol and blood pressure than comparable regular meat-eaters, as well as lower bone mineral density. Vegetarians in the EPIC-Oxford study have a relatively low risk of IHD, diabetes, diverticular disease, kidney stones, cataracts and possibly some cancers, but a relatively high risk of stroke (principally haemorrhagic stroke) and bone fractures, in comparison with meat-eaters. Vegans in EPIC-Oxford have a lower risk of diabetes, diverticular disease and cataracts and a higher risk of fractures, but there are insufficient data for other conditions to draw conclusions. Overall, the health of people following plant-based diets appears to be generally good, with advantages but also some risks, and the extent to which the risks may be mitigated by optimal food choices, fortification and supplementation is not yet known.
Topics: Animals; Cataract; Diet; Diet, Vegan; Diet, Vegetarian; Diverticular Diseases; Humans
PubMed: 35934687
DOI: 10.1017/S0029665121003748 -
International Journal of Environmental... May 2021Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic non-degenerative disease characterized by the presence of multiple symptoms such as chronic pain, which negatively influence the quality... (Review)
Review
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic non-degenerative disease characterized by the presence of multiple symptoms such as chronic pain, which negatively influence the quality of life of sufferers, most of whom are women. Currently, there is no effective treatment to limit the impact of these symptoms. The aim of this research is to review the scientific evidence on the effect of following a vegetarian or vegan diet on fibromyalgia patients. A systematic review included the original articles that answered the research question. These articles were in 2021 in the PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus databases. The research used the PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses) guidelines. No time restriction was applied, and grey literature was not included. The evaluation of the methodological quality of the articles was carried out using the following different scales: STROBE (strengthening the reporting of observational studies in epidemiology), PEDro (Physiotherapy Evidence Database), and MMAT (Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool) scales. A total of 88 studies were analyzed, of which 6 investigations were included in this systematic review ( = 4 clinical trials and = 2 cohort studies). These investigations show significant improvements in biochemical parameters, quality of life, quality of sleep, pain at rest and general health status when following mainly plant-based dietary patterns. In conclusion, these findings are promising but interpretation of the findings is limited due to the methodological quality of the studies. Well-designed clinical trials are needed to consolidate these dietary recommendations in FM patients.
Topics: Diet; Diet, Vegan; Female; Fibromyalgia; Humans; Male; Quality of Life; Vegetarians
PubMed: 34066603
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18094955 -
Nutrients Aug 2022During the complementary feeding period, any nutritional deficiencies may negatively impact infant growth and neurodevelopment. A healthy diet containing all essential... (Review)
Review
During the complementary feeding period, any nutritional deficiencies may negatively impact infant growth and neurodevelopment. A healthy diet containing all essential nutrients is strongly recommended by the WHO during infancy. Because vegetarian diets are becoming increasingly popular in many industrialized countries, some parents ask the pediatrician for a vegetarian diet, partially or entirely free of animal-source foods, for their children from an early age. This systematic review aims to evaluate the evidence on how vegetarian complementary feeding impacts infant growth, neurodevelopment, risk of wasted and/or stunted growth, overweight and obesity. The SR was registered with PROSPERO 2021 (CRD 42021273592). A comprehensive search strategy was adopted to search and find all relevant studies. For ethical reasons, there are no interventional studies assessing the impact of non-supplemented vegetarian/vegan diets on the physical and neurocognitive development of children, but there are numerous studies that have analyzed the effects of dietary deficiencies on individual nutrients. Based on current evidence, vegetarian and vegan diets during the complementary feeding period have not been shown to be safe, and the current best evidence suggests that the risk of critical micronutrient deficiencies or insufficiencies and growth retardation is high: they may result in significantly different outcomes in neuropsychological development and growth when compared with a healthy omnivorous diet such as the Mediterranean Diet. There are also no data documenting the protective effect of vegetarian or vegan diets against communicable diseases in children aged 6 months to 2-3 years.
Topics: Animals; Diet, Vegan; Diet, Vegetarian; Eating; Humans; Infant; Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Malnutrition; Vegetarians
PubMed: 36079848
DOI: 10.3390/nu14173591 -
The Journal of Nutrition Jun 2023It remains unclear whether non-animal-derived dietary protein sources (and therefore vegan diets) can support resistance training-induced skeletal muscle remodeling to... (Clinical Trial)
Clinical Trial
BACKGROUND
It remains unclear whether non-animal-derived dietary protein sources (and therefore vegan diets) can support resistance training-induced skeletal muscle remodeling to the same extent as animal-derived protein sources.
METHODS
In Phase 1, 16 healthy young adults (m = 8, f = 8; age: 23 ± 1 y; BMI: 23 ± 1 kg/m) completed a 3-d dietary intervention (high protein, 1.8 g·kg bm·d) where protein was derived from omnivorous (OMNI1; n = 8) or exclusively non-animal (VEG1; n = 8) sources, alongside daily unilateral leg resistance exercise. Resting and exercised daily myofibrillar protein synthesis (MyoPS) rates were assessed using deuterium oxide. In Phase 2, 22 healthy young adults (m = 11, f = 11; age: 24 ± 1 y; BMI: 23 ± 0 kg/m) completed a 10 wk, high-volume (5 d/wk), progressive resistance exercise program while consuming an omnivorous (OMNI2; n = 12) or non-animal-derived (VEG2; n = 10) high-protein diet (∼2 g·kg bm·d). Muscle fiber cross-sectional area (CSA), whole-body lean mass (via DXA), thigh muscle volume (via MRI), muscle strength, and muscle function were determined pre, after 2 and 5 wk, and postintervention.
OBJECTIVES
To investigate whether a high-protein, mycoprotein-rich, non-animal-derived diet can support resistance training-induced skeletal muscle remodeling to the same extent as an isonitrogenous omnivorous diet.
RESULTS
Daily MyoPS rates were ∼12% higher in the exercised than in the rested leg (2.46 ± 0.27%·d compared with 2.20 ± 0.33%·d and 2.62 ± 0.56%·d compared with 2.36 ± 0.53%·d in OMNI1 and VEG1, respectively; P < 0.001) and not different between groups (P > 0.05). Resistance training increased lean mass in both groups by a similar magnitude (OMNI2 2.6 ± 1.1 kg, VEG2 3.1 ± 2.5 kg; P > 0.05). Likewise, training comparably increased thigh muscle volume (OMNI2 8.3 ± 3.6%, VEG2 8.3 ± 4.1%; P > 0.05), and muscle fiber CSA (OMNI2 33 ± 24%, VEG2 32 ± 48%; P > 0.05). Both groups increased strength (1 repetition maximum) of multiple muscle groups, to comparable degrees.
CONCLUSIONS
Omnivorous and vegan diets can support comparable rested and exercised daily MyoPS rates in healthy young adults consuming a high-protein diet. This translates to similar skeletal muscle adaptive responses during prolonged high-volume resistance training, irrespective of dietary protein provenance. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03572127.
Topics: Humans; Diet, High-Protein; Diet, Vegan; Dietary Proteins; Hypertrophy; Muscle Strength; Muscle, Skeletal; Resistance Training; Vegans
PubMed: 36822394
DOI: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.02.023 -
Nutrition Bulletin Mar 2022Recent evidence suggests that vegetarian and vegan diets may increase the risk and symptoms of depression, a mental health condition affecting 350 million people... (Review)
Review
Recent evidence suggests that vegetarian and vegan diets may increase the risk and symptoms of depression, a mental health condition affecting 350 million people globally. We aimed to systematically review the literature on the associations between vegetarian and/or vegan diets and the risk or symptoms of depression using evidence from both observational and intervention studies. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, with pre-specification of all methods. A systematic search for relevant papers was performed on Medline and Embase, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library for cohort, case-control, cross-sectional studies or randomised controlled trials examining associations between a vegetarian or vegan diet and depression in adults. Three independent reviewers extracted data and assessed risk of bias using the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health for Quality Assessment of Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies and Controlled Studies. Evidence was tabulated according to the type of diet analysed as vegetarian, vegan or both and narratively synthesised. A total of 23 studies (18 cross-sectional, three prospective cohort and two randomised controlled trials) with 25 study outcomes were eligible for inclusion in this review. Conflicting evidence was found on the association between vegetarian or vegan diets and depression. Eleven (44%) of the outcomes indicated that vegetarian and vegan diets were associated with higher rates of depression, while seven (28%) outcomes revealed beneficial effects of the diets on depression. Seven (28%) outcomes found no association between vegetarian and vegan diets and depression, although two of these studies found a higher risk of depression in some groups. The quality of evidence was rated as good for four of the studies with the remaining 19 studies rated as fair. The evidence on the effect of vegetarian and vegan diets on depression is contradictory, possibly due to the heterogeneity of the studies analysed. Further research, including longitudinal and intervention studies, is required to resolve this observation.
Topics: Adult; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depression; Diet, Vegan; Diet, Vegetarian; Humans; Prospective Studies; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; United States; Vegetarians
PubMed: 36045075
DOI: 10.1111/nbu.12540