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Sports (Basel, Switzerland) Jan 2021Vegan diets are increasingly of interest to athletes, but require a well-planned approach in order to mitigate the risk of potential adverse effects on nutrient intakes,...
Vegan diets are increasingly of interest to athletes, but require a well-planned approach in order to mitigate the risk of potential adverse effects on nutrient intakes, and consequently performance. This case study reports the process of an elite male Gaelic football player (age 25 years; height, 1.88 m; body mass, 87.8 kg; lean body mass, 73.26 kg; body fat, 11.3%) transitioning from an omnivorous diet to a vegan diet at the beginning of a competitive season. The report encompasses key considerations in the planning and provision of nutrition support in this context, in addition to iterations needed based on challenges presented by the athlete. Analysis of nutrient intake (Nutritics Dietary Analysis Software), body composition (dual X-ray absorptiometry; Lunar iDXA, GE Healthcare), and running performance during match-play (global positioning system-based tracking; STATSports Apex) each indicated that with adequate knowledge and education, and appropriate planning, commitment and iterative feedback, the athlete was able to meet nutrition targets on a vegan diet without compromising key performance indicators compared to the omnivorous diet of the previous season. We anticipate that this case study will assist practitioners to recognize the key considerations to address when working with athletes transitioning to a vegan diet.
PubMed: 33466231
DOI: 10.3390/sports9010006 -
Cureus Mar 2024In this article, we discuss the ethics of veganism by looking at the moral implications of having a vegan diet or plant-based diet. Veganism is a way of diet that... (Review)
Review
In this article, we discuss the ethics of veganism by looking at the moral implications of having a vegan diet or plant-based diet. Veganism is a way of diet that forbids or avoids consuming any animal products. It has drawn a lot of interest recently due to awareness or trends of vegan diet, human health, and ethical behavior benefits. The aim of the research is to look into the moral values that talk about veganism, such as animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and human welfare. In this study, we conduct a thorough assessment of ethical theories and actual evidence in an effort to know about the ethical reasons for veganism and its larger societal impacts. Through an analysis of existing literature and clinical studies, we discuss the various challenges, advantages, lifestyle modification, and nutritional concerns related to a vegan diet.
PubMed: 38618417
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.56214 -
International Journal of Environmental... Jan 2023Over the past few years, the number of people who have avoided animal products has been rising steadily. A plant-based diet is associated with a healthier lifestyle and... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
Over the past few years, the number of people who have avoided animal products has been rising steadily. A plant-based diet is associated with a healthier lifestyle and has positive effects on various diseases. More and more healthy active people and performance-orientated athletes are giving up animal products for various reasons, such as for an improved performance or faster regeneration. However, the data in this context are limited. This study aimed to obtain initial findings on the influence of a diet change to veganism on the performance of strength-trained individuals. For this study, a total of 15 omnivorous individuals were recruited. They documented their dietary food intakes over 16 weeks. Every four weeks, the strength performance was tested via a leg press and bench press. In the first 8 weeks, the participants maintained their omnivorous diet, followed by 8 weeks of a vegan dietary phase. In total, 10 subjects participated successfully, and their data were part of the statistical analyses. There was no difference in the absolute and relative strength performance for the leg and bench press after changing to a vegan diet. For the total calorie intake and carbohydrates, only a small treatment effect, but no time effect, was observed. However, for the protein intake, a time and group effect were detected. In addition, the relative protein intake decreased significantly and was lower than the current recommendations for athletes. The results demonstrate that a change to a vegan diet has no beneficial nor negative effect on the strength performance when the total calorie intake and carbohydrate content are covered in the first 8 weeks.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Pilot Projects; Diet; Diet, Vegan; Energy Intake; Vegans
PubMed: 36767221
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20031856 -
Cureus Oct 2023Veganism, a way of eating that forbids goods produced from animals, is rising in acceptance around the globe. This thorough analysis investigates how a vegan diet... (Review)
Review
Veganism, a way of eating that forbids goods produced from animals, is rising in acceptance around the globe. This thorough analysis investigates how a vegan diet affects fetal growth during pregnancy, highlighting the need to maintain ideal maternal nutrition. The idea of "early life programming" emphasizes how a pregnant woman's lifestyle impacts her unborn child's health. Nutrient consumption during pregnancy makes it essential to have a healthy eating routine. While a carefully thought-out vegan diet may contain all the essential nutrients, some micronutrients need special attention, which may call for supplementation. The study delves into significant findings concerning nutritional adequacy and challenges in the discussion section, highlighting nutrients like calcium, iron, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, and protein. It emphasizes medical professionals' need to monitor and assist vegan expectant mothers in meeting their nutritional needs. The analysis also examines the intricate connection between a mother's health and the outcomes of vegan pregnancies, such as decreased rates of gestational diabetes and hypertension. Examining fetal growth and development further highlights the complexity of this process, as do the contradicting data on birth weights. Furthermore, early data suggest that infants born to vegan moms may benefit cognitively, but further studies are required to prove a causal relationship. In addressing ethical and environmental issues in the review's conclusion, it is acknowledged that these aspects impact pregnant women's food decisions. Given the rising popularity of veganism, it is crucial to offer trustworthy advice to expectant women who are thinking about or already following a vegan diet.
PubMed: 38034264
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.47971 -
Nature Medicine Feb 2024Nutrition has broad impacts on all physiological processes. However, how nutrition affects human immunity remains largely unknown. Here we explored the impact of a...
Nutrition has broad impacts on all physiological processes. However, how nutrition affects human immunity remains largely unknown. Here we explored the impact of a dietary intervention on both immunity and the microbiota by performing a post hoc analysis of a clinical trial in which each of the 20 participants sequentially consumed vegan or ketogenic diets for 2 weeks ( NCT03878108 ). Using a multiomics approach including multidimensional flow cytometry, transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic and metagenomic datasets, we assessed the impact of each diet, and dietary switch, on host immunity and the microbiota. Our data revealed that overall, a ketogenic diet was associated with a significant upregulation of pathways and enrichment in cells associated with the adaptive immune system. In contrast, a vegan diet had a significant impact on the innate immune system, including upregulation of pathways associated with antiviral immunity. Both diets significantly and differentially impacted the microbiome and host-associated amino acid metabolism, with a strong downregulation of most microbial pathways following ketogenic diet compared with baseline and vegan diet. Despite the diversity of participants, we also observed a tightly connected network between datasets driven by compounds associated with amino acids, lipids and the immune system. Collectively, this work demonstrates that in diverse participants 2 weeks of controlled dietary intervention is sufficient to significantly and divergently impact host immunity, which could have implications for precision nutritional interventions. ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT03878108 .
Topics: Humans; Diet, Ketogenic; Diet, Vegan; Proteomics; Clinical Trials as Topic
PubMed: 38291301
DOI: 10.1038/s41591-023-02761-2 -
Nutrients Nov 2019Vegans are at an increased risk for certain micronutrient deficiencies, foremost of vitamin B. Little is known about the short-term effects of dietary change to... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
Vegans are at an increased risk for certain micronutrient deficiencies, foremost of vitamin B. Little is known about the short-term effects of dietary change to plant-based nutrition on vitamin B metabolism. Systemic biomarkers of vitamin B status, namely, serum vitamin B and holotranscobalamin, may respond quickly to a reduced intake of vitamin B. To test this hypothesis, 53 healthy omnivore subjects were randomized to a controlled unsupplemented vegan diet (VD, = 26) or meat-rich diet (MD, = 27) for 4 weeks. Vitamin B status was examined by measurement of serum vitamin B, holotranscobalamin (holo-TC), methylmalonic acid (MMA) and total plasma homocysteine (tHcy). Holo-TC decreased significantly in the VD compared to the MD group after four weeks of intervention, whereas metabolites MMA and tHcy were unaffected. Body weight remained stable in both groups. VD intervention led to a significant reduction of cholesterol intake, and adequate profiles of nutrient and micronutrient status. Lower intake of vitamin B was observed in VD, which was mirrored by a lower concentration of serum vitamin B and reduced holo-TC after 4 weeks. Plasma holo-TC may be a fast-responding biomarker to monitor adequate supply of vitamin B in plant-based individuals.
Topics: Adult; Biomarkers; Cardiovascular Diseases; Cholesterol; Diet, Vegan; Fatty Acids; Female; Healthy Volunteers; Homocysteine; Humans; Inflammation; Male; Methylmalonic Acid; Micronutrients; Nutritional Status; Transcobalamins; Vitamin B 12; Vitamin B 12 Deficiency
PubMed: 31752105
DOI: 10.3390/nu11112815 -
The British Journal of Nutrition Nov 2023Vegan and vegetarian diets are widely supported and adopted, but individuals following such diets remain at greater risk of iodine deficiency. This systematic review and... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Vegan and vegetarian diets are widely supported and adopted, but individuals following such diets remain at greater risk of iodine deficiency. This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to assess the iodine intake and status in adults following a vegan or vegetarian diet in the modern day. A systematic review and quality assessment were conducted from October 2020 to December 2022 according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) guidance. Studies were identified in Ovid MEDLINE, Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus. Eleven articles were eligible for review containing 4421 adults (aged ≥ 18 years). Vegan groups had the lowest median urinary iodine concentration (mUIC) (12·2/l). None of the dietary groups had mUIC within the optimal range for iodine status (100-200 µg/l) (WHO). Vegan diets had the poorest iodine intake (17·3 µg/d) and were strongly associated with lower iodine intake ( = < 0·001) compared with omnivorous diets. Lower intake in vegan diets was influenced by sex ( = 0·007), the presence of voluntary or absence of Universal Salt Iodisation (USI) programmes ( = 0·01 & = < 0·001), and living in a country with adequate iodine nutrition ( = < 0·001). Vegetarians and particularly vegans living in countries with no current USI programme continue to have increased risk of low iodine status, iodine deficiency and inadequate iodine intake. Further research into the usefulness of mandatory fortification of vegan appropriate foods is required.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Diet, Vegan; Vegans; Iodine; Diet, Vegetarian; Nutritional Status; Vegetarians
PubMed: 36912094
DOI: 10.1017/S000711452300051X -
Clinical Nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland) Apr 2019Vegetarians and vegans are more vulnerable to vitamin B deficiency with severe risks of megaloblastic anemia, cognitive decline, neuropathy, and depression. An easy and... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
Effect of two different sublingual dosages of vitamin B on cobalamin nutritional status in vegans and vegetarians with a marginal deficiency: A randomized controlled trial.
BACKGROUND & AIMS
Vegetarians and vegans are more vulnerable to vitamin B deficiency with severe risks of megaloblastic anemia, cognitive decline, neuropathy, and depression. An easy and simple method of supplementation consists of taking one weekly dosage of 2000 μg. However, single large oral doses of vitamin B are poorly absorbed. The present research evaluates the ability of two different sublingual dosages of vitamin B (350 μg/week vs 2000 μg/week) in improving cyanocobalamin (vitamin B) nutritional status in vegans and vegetarians with a marginal deficiency.
METHODS
A 12-week randomized, double-blind, controlled, parallel intervention trial was performed. Forty subjects with marginal vitamin B deficiency were enrolled and randomly divided into two groups: test group Ld (low dose, 350 μg/week) and control group Hd (high dose, 2000 μg/week) vitamin B supplementation. Blood samples were collected at baseline and after 15, 30, 60, and 90 days from the intervention for the determination of vitamin B, related metabolic markers, and blood cell counts.
RESULTS
Two-way analysis of variance showed a significant effect of time (P < 0.0001) and of time × treatment interaction (P = 0.012) on serum concentration of vitamin B that increased after 90-day supplementation (Ld and Hd) compared to baseline. Both the supplements increased (P < 0.0001, time effect) the levels of holotranscobalamin, succinic acid, methionine and wellness parameter, while decreased (P < 0.0001, time effect) the levels of methylmalonic acid, homocysteine and folate compared to baseline. No difference was observed between groups (Ld vs Hd). No effect was detected for vitamin B and blood cell count.
CONCLUSIONS
In our experimental conditions, both supplements were able to restore adequate serum concentrations of vitamin B and to improve the levels of related metabolic blood markers in subjects with a marginal deficiency. The results support the use of a sublingual dosage of 50 μg/day (350 μg/week) of cobalamin, instead of 2000 μg/week (provided as a single dose), to reach a state of nutritional adequacy of vitamin B in this target population. This study was registered at www.isrctn.org as ISRCTN75099618.
Topics: Administration, Sublingual; Adult; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Double-Blind Method; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Male; Nutritional Status; Treatment Outcome; Vegans; Vegetarians; Vitamin B 12; Vitamin B 12 Deficiency; Vitamins
PubMed: 29499976
DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2018.02.008 -
Scientific Reports Jun 2023In the Middle East, particularly in Saudi Arabia, the offering of a meat dish to guests is a deeply embedded cultural tradition, and a meat-based diet is the standard in...
In the Middle East, particularly in Saudi Arabia, the offering of a meat dish to guests is a deeply embedded cultural tradition, and a meat-based diet is the standard in Saudi Arabia. Thus, the rise of veganism and vegetarianism within Saudi Arabia is surprising and worthy of attention, as is understanding the perceptions and motivations behind this phenomenon, particularly as they relate to food and sustainability. This research was designed to investigate this emerging phenomenon and to identify key differences in dietarian identity between Saudi vegetarians and vegans using Rosenfeld and Burrow's Dietarian Identity Questionnaire. Among other results, the vegan group scored significantly higher on the prosocial motivation construct, suggesting the desire to help society as a whole is a stronger motivating factor for vegans. As well, the vegan cohort scored higher in the personal motivation category. From an environmental and public health perspective, understanding the key factors motivating individuals to adopt a vegetarian or vegan diet in a meat-based culture like Saudi Arabia can be used to encourage others to pursue more healthy and sustainable food behaviors.
Topics: Humans; Vegans; Diet, Vegan; Motivation; Feeding Behavior; Vegetarians; Diet, Vegetarian; Diet; Meat
PubMed: 37328535
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-36980-x -
Nutrients Jul 2022Studies suggest a decreasing trend in the consumption of meat products and a growing interest in vegetarian diets. Medical support may be relevant, especially when...
Studies suggest a decreasing trend in the consumption of meat products and a growing interest in vegetarian diets. Medical support may be relevant, especially when switching to a vegan diet. Our objective was to describe the beliefs and attitudes of primary care physicians toward vegetarian diets. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among general practitioners and pediatricians thorough a questionnaire including socio-demographic characteristics, specific care to vegetarians, and the risks and benefits of vegetarian diets according to physicians. Out of the 177 participating physicians, 104 (59%) have seen at least one vegetarian patient in consultation in the last three months. Half of the physicians declared that they would dissuade their patients from switching to a vegan diet ( = 88, 51%) and 14% ( = 24) from switching to an ovo-lacto-vegetarian (OLV) diet. Most physicians ( = 141, 88%) did not feel informed enough about these diets. Physicians thought that the most frequent deficiencies for OLV and vegan diets were iron (76% and 84%, respectively) and protein (45% and 79%, respectively). These results highlight the fact that French primary care physicians feel concerned by this subject and need more information on these diets. Specific recommendations would be useful to support their practice and relationship with vegetarians.
Topics: Cross-Sectional Studies; Diet; Diet, Vegan; Diet, Vegetarian; General Practitioners; Humans; Pediatricians; Vegetarians
PubMed: 35956277
DOI: 10.3390/nu14153101