Research
Literature Review
###Do vegan athletes need to sacrifice their beliefs in order to win?
In a race between a vegan and a carnivore, who comes in first? When it comes to sports, athletes look for any possible edge to gain over their opponents. They spend thousands of dollars on top of the line equipment, invest in personal trainers or coaches, and some look to their diet to provide for the optimal nutrition. For many athletes, a vegan diet may be seen as taboo because athletes need to be strong and muscular and according to the social norm, these traits can only be attained through eating meat. However, what if an athlete chose to be vegan for ethical reasons, meaning they choose to not eat meat because they disagree with the consumption of animal products? Would the athlete be at an immediate disadvantage just because of their moral belief or can vegans compete against the world’s top athletes? One may not be aware that vegans are prone to nutritional deficiencies. Protein, vitamin-B12, iron, and other nutrients require more work to meet healthy levels. This “healthy level” gets even higher for athletes because of the amount of energy they expend and the toll training takes on the body. On the flip side, studies have shown vegans respond better to creatine supplements which could lead to better recovery and muscular hypertrophy (Norris). Based on these findings, vegan athletes could even have an advantage over their meat eating opponents.
First thing that may pop into the mind of an athlete considering the vegan route is whether or not they can get enough protein. Getting the proper amount of protein in an athlete’s diet is essential to performance. According to Nick Mitchell, the founder of Ultimate Performance, “a diet including meat and fish is essential if you want to make the best possible gains” (Jackson). He mentions that he respects those who have ethical beliefs or religious beliefs for not eating meat, but that they will be at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to making muscular gains. Mitchell recalls training a vegetarian bodybuilder for a magazine cover shoot and needing to persuade him to get the body he wanted. In Mitchell’s opinion, the vegetarian showed clear signs that his diet was not gonna cut it. He says his client “would never have achieved such incredible results if he hadn’t turned carnivore” (Jackson). Do all vegetarians need to make the switch to a carnivorous diet in order to get the body they want? From the viewpoint of vegan bodybuilder and nutritionist Derek Tresize, animal protein is not only non-essential but could even have adverse effects. “Let’s get one thing straight: there’s not much in animal foods that can’t be found in plants,” says Tresize (Jackson). Tresize claims that the only benefits animal meat has over plant foods is their high concentration of protein and their creatine levels. Hitting the needed amount of protein is not difficult if one restricts their foods to only plants. A huge part of being a bodybuilder isn’t just having a lot of muscle. A competitor needs that muscle to appear hard and sculpted and to achieve this look one needs to have a low amount of body fat. According to Tresize, “eating plants will provide all the essential nutrients you need to build healthy lean body mass” (Jackson).
Another big question when it comes to vegan diets is the vitamin B12. Unlike protein, vitamin B12 can only naturally be found in animal products. B12 is used in the division of red bloods cells, without it humans are more prone to heart attack, stroke, and even blindness. Kris Gunnars, CEO of Authority Nutrition, listed B12 deficiency as his number one reason why “vegan diets are a terrible idea” (Gunnars). Although, vitamin B12 cannot be naturally found in plant food it can be supplemented without needing any animals. According to Jack Norris of Vegan Health, “vitamin B12 is made by bacteria such that it does not need to be obtained from animal products” (Norris). This is good news for vegans who chose the diet for ethical reasons rather than health reasons. Norris demonstrates the effectiveness of B12 supplementation by pointing to a study that observed B12 levels in vegans taking B12 supplements were at healthy levels. However, while it is possible to supplement vitamin B12, Gunnars claims “a whopping 92% of vegans are deficient in this critical nutrient” (Gunnars). Dave Asprey of Bulletproof, goes so far as to attribute vitamin B12 deficiency as part of the reason for Olympian athlete Carl Lewis’ decline following his switch to a vegan diet. Asprey, along with Gunnars, also claims that a majority of vegans are deficient in B12. The importance of getting enough B12 is especially important when we consider athletes. Some athletes spend thousands of dollars buying state of the art equipment just to shave a couple seconds off their time. For athletes at this level, monitoring vitamin B12 levels is paramount.
Athletes are at a greater risk to iron deficiency than most humans because of the amount of energy they use in their various sports. Iron exits the body through bodily fluids like sweat, urine, and blood. Iron, unlike vitamin B12, can be replenished through plant or animals foods. On top of that, the amount of iron contained in plant and animal foods is mixed, meaning animal food does not always have more iron than plant food and visa versa. However, the problems in lies the body’s ability to absorb these two sources of iron. There are two types of iron, heme iron, iron from animal sources, and non-heme iron, iron from plants. According to an article in Running & FitNews, “heme iron provides up to 33% of all absorbed dietary iron” (Running & FitNews). The article also points to two main reasons people suffer iron deficiencies: increased iron needs and decreased iron absorption. Since our bodies cannot make iron and therefore rely on food to provide iron, decreased iron absorption is often related to not eating meats. There are ways, however, for those who have sworn off eating meat, to get the proper amount of iron without animal products. One way is to pair non-heme iron rich foods with foods high in vitamin C. Running & FitNews states, “foods containing vitamin C also enhance non-heme iron absorption when eaten at the same meal” (Running & FitNews). Just as there are foods that can increase iron absorption, there are also foods that can decrease absorption. Foods such as coffee, tea, and whole grains are composed of substances like polyphenols, phytates, or calcium, which should be avoided when eating non-heme iron.
The measure of a natural compound called creatine monohydrate is on average lower in vegetarians than in carnivores. Creatine is often associated with improving recovery time by decreasing muscle fatigue and building strength and power. For athletes training for power sports like football, bodybuilding, and sprinting, having lower creatine levels could affect performance. Our liver is able to create creatine, but meat eaters do get more through the creatine in animals’ muscles. Creatine is often supplemented in athletes with any diet to become bigger, faster, and stronger. An article on Vegan Health by Jack Norris states that vegetarians taking a creatine supplement may find better improvements than meat eaters who take a creatine supplement. According to Norris, “supplementing with creatine has been shown to increase performance especially in people whose creatine levels in muscle were initially on the lower side of normal” (Norris). “Your sport should be a major factor” (Novakovich), says Jennifer Novakovich in an article titled “Do Plant-based Athletes Need Creatine,” when choosing whether or not vegan athletes need creatine. Sports whose primary goal is endurance and not strength or body weight driven may not need to supplement their diet with creatine.
While an athlete who opts for a vegan diet may have a greater potential for nutritional deficits, there may be an advantage to not eating meat. Ben Greenfield, of Ben Greenfield Fitness, wrote an article discussing the the advantages of a vegan diet for athletes, particularly the improved recovery time. According to Greenfield, eating meat and other animal products make one’s body have higher acidity levels. He states, “the logic is that an excessively acidic blood pH could result in inflammation, and thus impair recovery” (Greenfield). Brendan Brazier, author of Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports and Life also discusses his experience with training on a meatless diet. Brazier’s motivation to eat vegan was not fueled by ethical reasons but rather, he found his performance was at its peak when he was on a vegan diet. Brazier discusses his experimentation process of various diets in the introduction of his book. He mentions the wide held belief in the industry that adopting a vegan diet will make you fail. Brazier tried anyways and was shocked by the outcome, saying, “the result was astounding. Not only did my recovery time plummet but my energy level, strength-to-weight ratio, and endurance shot up” (Brazier). Since his recovery time improved, Brazier described that he was able to train more frequently and realized he could become a professional Ironman racer, a dream of his since the age of fifteen.
Vegan athletes may have to monitor their food and its nutrients more than carnivores, but it is certainly not impossible to meet the requirements. Athletes should makes sure that they are getting enough protein, vitamin B12, and iron in their diet. They should keep in mind that the protein requirement for athletes is often higher than non-athletes because of the amount of calories they burn and muscle that needs to be repaired. Vitamin B12 only occurs naturally in meat, but fortunately can be biologically created and supplemented without any animals. Athletes are also especially prone to iron deficiency. The reason being that loss of sweat, urine, and blood contribute to lower iron levels. Vegan athletes should consider eating foods high in iron with foods high in vitamin C to increase absorption. While creatine levels are lower in vegans, high levels of creatine are not needed for sports focusing on lower body weight and endurance. However for sports that emphasize power and strength, creatine can be supplemented. Creatine is often supplemented by meat eating athletes regardless and studies have shown vegans react better to creatine supplementation than do meat eaters. Lastly, there may be some benefits for athletes who do no eat meat. Since meat decreases the body’s pH levels making it more acidic and possibly making recovery harder, eating a diet that result in a better pH balance could decrease recovery time and allow an athlete to train more frequently. So who wins in a race between a vegan and an carnivore? The answer could be as simple as, the better athlete.
###Works Cited
Annotated Bibliography
An informative article in Running & FitNews warned vegan athletes that they are more likely to have low levels of iron compared to meat eating athletes because iron from animal sources, also known as heme iron, is absorbed up to three times quicker than iron from plant sources, or non-heme iron. The author stresses the importance of consuming an adequate amount of iron-rich foods by noting, “the body cannot manufacture its own iron and is dependent on food intake” (2). For this reason, it may require additional work for people getting their iron exclusively from plants to reach healthy iron levels. People may need more iron based on their age, sex, and levels of activity. Iron stores can be depleted though sweat, urine, and for females, menstruation. Children are in need of a lot of iron because their rate of growth is so quick. Young female athlete are especially prone to iron deficiencies because of iron loss through sweating during training and blood loss during menstruation. Vegans fall under the umbrella of people who have decreased iron intake or absorption. According to the list of foods along with their iron amount the author provides, it is not because animal sources always have more iron, it is because iron from animal sources are better absorbed than iron from plant sources. The author lists white beans, lentils, and spinach all as having higher iron than lamb, shrimp, and ground beef. Fortunately for vegans, there are ways one can increase the absorption of non-heme iron without eating a single piece of meat. When eating plant sources of iron, the meal should always be paired with foods high in vitamin C, such as a glass of orange juice. There are also food pairings that one should avoid too. Coffee, tea, and calcium-rich beverages, like milk, will inhibit the body’s ability to absorb iron. Some people with iron deficiencies may not exhibit symptoms. For this reason, according to the author, “it is important to screen for too little iron among high risk groups” (4). Symptoms typical won’t show up until a condition called anemia occurs. Anemia is a result of too little hemoglobin, a protein that is responsible for delivering oxygen through the body. Feelings of weakness, decreased performance, and unsteady body temperature may all be signs of iron deficiency anemia.
I included this informative article because it goes in depth about a serious limitation with the vegan diet for athletes. Iron deficiency can be detrimental to performance and it a serious issue to consider before switching to veganism.
In his blog piece for Bulletproof, Dave Asprey discusses the topic of athletes who perform on a vegan diet and specifically focuses on olympian Carl Lewis. Lewis was a dominate sprinter and long jumper in the 80’s and early 90’s. His quote, saying that the first year of his vegan diet was his best year ever is frequently quoted in as what Asprey refers to as “vegan propaganda” (Asprey), in many articles. Asprey points out the fact that although Lewis claims his best year was the year after his new journey as a vegan, he was a much better athlete before the switch. While Asprey acknowledges that there is a multitude of potential reasons for Lewis’ decline, he offers his own theory instead. Asprey claims that the body does not perform as well on a vegan diet, but the symptoms are not recognizable until a period after someone starts the diet. He calls this phenomenon the “vegan trap” and defines it as “…the unfortunate fact that what is a fundamentally unhealthy diet makes you feel good for a time longer than 40 days” (Asprey). The vegan trap is used to offer a reason why Lewis’ performance declined after his switch to veganism. Lewis may have felt great after the initial switch and then when his body started to recognize the nutrient deficiencies, Lewis ignored the possibility that it was his diet causing the problems. Asprey continues to elaborate on his theory by explaining the sort of deficiencies Lewis likely had and what other vegan athletes may run into in the future. First is protein. Although it is possible to get a sufficient amount of protein on a vegan diet, according to Asprey, this is not usually the case. He also mentions creatine, which is especially useful in sprint athletes. Lastly, Asprey touches on vitamin B12, “80% of long term vegans are deficient in vitamin B12” (Asprey). Vitamin B12 deficiency affects mental function which would lead to a decline in physical performance.
I liked this blog post by Dave Asprey because of his strong opinion against a vegan diet for athletes. Finding articles against vegan diets for athletes was surprising difficult, which makes this article very refreshing.
There are many things to think about for athletes who are considering making the switch to a vegan diet. The first thing that may come to mind is whether or not an athlete can build muscle on an eating regime that completely cuts out meat, dairy, and eggs. Leslie Beck, a registered dietitian and regular contributor to CTV News Channel believes vegan athletes absolutely can build muscle. She focuses mainly on the amount of calories and protein athletes will need and how this may be difficult after the switch. Since vegetables are so calorically dense, they often have a small amount of calories compared to the amount of weight and space they take up. This can be great when one’s goal is to lose weight, but to gain weight, the athlete must have an excess amount of calories. Beck recommends monitoring one’s weight and “if you find you’re losing weight, you may not be eating enough calories to meet the demands of your exercise training” (Beck). Another important factor to consider is getting enough protein. According to Beck, for every kilogram the athlete weighs, they should eat a little over one gram of protein. This is different than the non athlete vegan who only needs to eat around 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Among some other concerns are amino acids, iron, vitamin B12, and vitamin D. Beck notes that “animal proteins contain all essential amino acids in sufficient amounts to support muscle building and repair” (Beck), thus it is important to mix up the plant sources of amino acids to get the necessary amount. Proper iron levels can also be reached by eating enough plant foods that are rich in iron. Unlike amino acids and iron however is vitamin B12 and vitamin D. The athlete may consider to take supplements if they feel they are lacking these vitamins which can be especially tough to get without eating meat.
This article is important because it specifically addresses the worry that vegan athletes may not be able to build muscle. It is also important that is mentions the necessary changes a vegan needs to make to be equal with a meat eating counterpart. A lot of the advice like getting the full range of nutrients are things I did’t consider before reading the article.
In this contribution piece for VegKitchen, Brendan Brazier helps newly converted vegan athletes stick with their diet. This article is important because Brazier is able to not only diagnose some problems vegan athletes may face but he also offers solutions to the problems. Many articles I read mentioned deficiencies with vegan diet, here Brazier gives example symptoms of these deficiencies and how to fix these problems.
In his book Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports and Life, Brendan Brazier discusses his transformation from omnivore to vegan and the improvements to athletic performance a vegan diet can make on the body. Brazier is a professional cyclist and used diet and nutrition to look for an edge to beating his opponents. Brazier explains the original intent behind his vegan conversion by saying, “if I was able to recover from each workout faster, I would be able to schedule them closer together and therefore train more than my competition” (Brazier 3). Brazier’s initial motivation for becoming a vegan was unlike most. He did not do so out of the need to because of a special connection to animals, rather he sought out an optimal diet to help speed up recovery time, and through a long process of trial and error, he came up with “The Thrive Diet” which has its foundation laid in veganism. Brazier discovered a positive side effect of his diet that also contributes to better athletic performance. He eventually realized that his new diet was also reducing the amount of stress on his body. Brazier mentions that “obesity, fatigue, poor digestion, and trouble sleeping are all symptoms of stress” (Brazier 5). He uses this new discovery to connect to the fact that the vegan diet is not only beneficial for athletes looking to cut down recovery time, but it is beneficial for everyone.
If anyone is the poster child for the vegan athlete campaign, it is Brendan Brazier. He is an amazing athlete with many accomplishments and is proof that not only can vegan athletes compete at the top level, but can rise above the competition.
Patrik Baboumian is a record breaking strongman competitor. Strongman is a series of strength tests which lifters undergo and compete against one another to lift the most weight. Another fact about Baboumian is that he is also a vegan. His choice to become vegan was inspired by his compassion towards animals, and ultimately he decided to cut out meat because he couldn’t eat meat without seeing the animal that was killed to feed him. Baboumian describes this experience by saying, “suddenly the piece of meat had a face for me” (Baboumian). He is also a big promoter of the vegan lifestyle. He stressed the fact that eating meat and dairy products are not scientifically proven to be necessary items to be strong. He experienced this first hand when he decided to become a vegetarian, then later a vegan. According to Baboumian, his performance actually improved since changing his diet. “My numbers went up, my recovery got better” (Baboumian). Baboumian is also writing a book to share his experience as a vegan strength athlete with the world. His career is an impressive one. He mentions in the interview how he was unsure if he could compete as a strongman because is was slightly undersized. However, he continued to become stronger and after becoming the champion in the lightweight division, he eventually moved onto the heavyweight division where he broke the world record for the most weight carried by a human.
I enjoyed this interview because it changed my perception of the typical vegan body type. Patrik Baboumian is a very large man who clearly is getting enough calories and protein to build a huge amount of functional muscle, which a lot of articles mentioned as a main concern.
This article by Adharanand Finn uses vegetarian athlete Lizze Armitstead’s olympic victory as a segue into the continued success of vegan and vegetarian athletes rising to the top of their sports. I included this article because it was real with the fact that being a vegetarian athlete is more difficult but can be achieved without sacrificing athletic ability.
This scholarly article helped me narrow down the subject I want to focus on. Initially I wanted to study whether vegan or omnivore is better for athletic performance, but I learned that there may be a difference between endurance athletes and strength athletes when it comes to diet. This article also showed that there may not be enough information currently to know whether or not a vegan diet is better for athletes than a typical omnivore diet.
After reading many articles on the vegan athletes, developing strength and muscle was one of the biggest criticisms due to the lack of creatine in plant based food. This article spotlights raw vegan bodybuilder Jimi Sitko and how animals products are not necessary to build a sufficient amount of muscle.
This opinion piece from PETA recognizes the necessary nutrients for vegan athletes as well as pointed out some of the flaws that comes with eating animals products. This article is important because it uses a variety of top athletes, from both endurance and strength sports to show that a vegan diet is a viable if not preferable diet for the athlete who is looking to be the best in their field.