An increasing number of people, including some well-known athletes, are choosing to follow a vegan diet. Vegans do not consume any animal products. This article examines which nutrients vegan competitors should consider for optimal health and performance.

current research

Very little research has been done on the results of vegan or even vegetarian diets for athletes. In 2010, Dr. Joel Fuhrman, author of the popular diet book Eat to Live, published an article in Current Sports Medicine Reports (Vol. 9, No. 4, pp. 233-241). Dr. Fuhrman argues that vegan athletes who follow nutritional principles (maximize micronutrients per calorie) will outperform others. He emphasizes high-quality unrefined plant foods, such as vegetables, beans, fruits, nuts, and seeds.

Athletic benefits of vegan diets

In his article, Dr. Fuhrman states that high-level athletes compromise their immune systems through hard training, making them more susceptible to upper respiratory tract infections. These infections disrupt your training programs. He believes that following a nutrient-dense vegan diet boosts athletes’ immune systems, reducing their viral infections and lost training time. In addition, Dr. Fuhrman states that eating antioxidant-rich plant foods can reduce the effects of oxidative stress that occurs with exercise.

Nutrient Supplementation

It then addresses whether specific micronutrients can be adequately acquired on a vegan diet. Regarding calcium and iron, he suggests that sufficient amounts of these nutrients can be found in a plant-based diet. However, other nutrients may require supplementation. These include zinc, iodine, vitamin B12, and omega-3 fatty acids, which tend to be low in vegans and vegetarians. Vitamin D levels are often deficient, even in the general population. Finally, taurine supplements appear to increase athletic performance and also tend to be lacking in vegans.

protein requirements

Athletes require a higher amount of protein to synthesize intramuscular protein and reduce muscle damage caused by exercise. However, the actual amount of protein needed daily remains controversial. Dr. Fuhrman’s review of the literature in his article generally cites protein requirements as ranging from around 1.4 to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Thus, a 150-pound athlete would need 95 to 136 grams of protein per day.

However, he prefers to quote protein needs in terms of kcal (calories) and grams of protein. He offers an example of a 150-pound endurance athlete who needs 3,600 calories and 120 grams of protein a day. These amounts are based on the person training four hours per day. The vast majority of competitors certainly don’t train anywhere near that level. A sedentary 150-pound individual needs only about 55 grams of protein. Extrapolating to a casual recreational athlete, somewhere in the 70-100 range may be appropriate.

Conclusion

Vegan athletes will benefit from more research on the effects of diet on their athletic performance. In the meantime, Dr. Fuhrman’s article offers information to benefit high-level and more casual competitors alike. Veganism appears to offer at least some health and performance benefits for athletes. However, a high-quality diet is required, not relying on processed or low-nutrient foods. Vegan athletes should benefit from supplementing with certain important nutrients.