1. Improved performance: Recovery of fuel reserves between training sessions may be easier Weight loss/maintenance * Most popular with endurance athletes.
2. Health concerns * Healthy diet & exercise decreased disease risk * "Natural" foods * Lower rates coronary heart disease, diabetes etc.
3. Ethical reasons * Concern for animal welfare Factory farming etc * Concern for human welfare 70% of grain USA produces chickens, pigs, cattle - Poor countries often grow feed grains to export rather than feed themselves.
4. Environmental reasons * 21 pounds plant protein --> 1 pound beef * 1600L water to produce one pound of pork * Nitrogen contamination of water * Methane production! * Land clearance -tropical rain forest etc
5. Religious reasons * Hindus * Some Buddhists * Seventh Day Adventists
6. Economic reasons
SUCCESSFUL SPORTS PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN VEGETARIAN:
Carl Lewis = 9x Olympic Gold winner
Dave Scott = 4x World Champion Iron Man triathlete
Sixto Linares = World Record Holder longest triathlon ever
Susie Wood = NZ representative duathlete, Yacht racer
Paavo Nurmi = Olympic Gold middle distance runner (20 world records)
Edwin Moses = Olympic Gold 400m hurdler
Bill Misner = former holder American Ultradistance record
Robert Sweetgall = World Champion ultradistance walker
Liisa Veijalainen = World Champion orienteerer
Sean Yates = Professional cyclist (Tour de France stage winner)
Murray Rose = 4x Olympic gold swimmer
Bill Pickering = English Channel swim record
Billie Jean King = Tennis champion
Martina Navratilova = Tennis champion
Surya Bonaly = French Olympic figure skater
Bill Walton = Basketballer Desmond Howard = Professional American football player
Chris Campbell = Olympic medallist wrestler
Stan Price = World record holder in bench press
Bill Manetti = Powerlifting champion
Andreas Cahling = "Mr International" bodybuilder
Bill Pearl = 4x "Mr Universe"
Roy Hilligan = "Mr America"
The Diet of An Elite Tri-Athlete
I can tell you that there is absolutely no meat in my diet what so ever. I drink zero milk, no heavy cheeses, and no eggs either. Even my coffee creamer is a soy beverage (vanilla Silk). If my girlfriend and I eat out, I generally like to do pasta with olive oil, veggie fajitas, or vegetable sushi (avocado and cucumber with brown rice are my addictions).
We only shop at Fresh Fields or Trader Joe's because I'm not a big fan of chemically-grown vegetables (I think I'd rather have a turd from Fresh Fields than regular food from Giant). I generally do a lot of whole wheat pasta with olive oil and garlic, fresh baked bread from Fresh Fields, lots of salad, tofu, and I really like Soy Dream (I'll admit: we're sponsored by Imagine Foods but it's still the best tasting).
Water/Gatorade consumption per day goes to about a gallon and a half, and I only drink freshly squeezed OJ.
My vitamin supplements (all "safe for vegetarians" by Solgar):
4-6 grams Vitamin C/day
2 B-complex/day
Roughly 600% RDA for both Zinc and Iron/day
6g Glucosamine/day
120mg Gingko (standardized 24%)/day
4000mg L-arginine/day
My fiber intake hovers around 30-40 grams a day (Kashi's Go Lean Crunch with Vanilla Soy Dream. Got my girlfriend addicted to it) Snacks are usually sunflower seeds (still shelled), fruit, or the occasional olive oil chips. Energy bars are only Clif, Luna, Ironman Peanut Butter bars (the only ones with no whey protein), Boulder Bars, or the e-Bar (www.e-fitnessnews.com) by Erin DeMarines. It's her own energy bar and she's more anal about being a vegan than I am. Good friend of mine, too.
I'll have to send you the actual caloric intake, but it's between 3000-4000 cal./day. I'll send you our training schedule, as well. Here are some of the races we have coming up:
Wilkes-Barre Triathlon, NYC Triathlon, Damascus Time-Trial, Sandman Triathlon, Lum's Pond Triathlon, Marine Corps Marathon, and Ironman Florida.
Andy MacDonald, Group Exercise Coordinator
Freddie Mac Fitness Center
8200 Jones Branch Road
McLean, VA, 22102
HOW DOES A VEGETARIAN DIET DIFFER FROM AN OMNIVOROUS DIET?
Macronutrients:
* Energy lower
* Carbohydrate higher
* Fibre much higher
* Protein lower
* Total fat similar or lower
* Saturated fat lower
* Monounsaturated fat lower
* Polyunsaturated fat much higher
* Cholesterol lower
Micronutrients:
* Iron higher
* Zinc similar
* Calcium similar for LOVs BUT lower for vegans
* Sodium lower
* Vitamin B12 lower for LOVs BUT nonexistent for vegans
* Vitamin C much higher
* Vitamin E much higher
HOW DOES A VEGETARIAN DIET AFFECT NUTRIENTS OF PARTICULAR INTEREST FOR ATHELETES?
1. Energy Intake:
Vegetarians eat lots of high-fibre low-fat foods (wholegrains, fruit, vegetables) -> Lower energy intake than omnivores Status: LOVs have lower body weight. Vegans may find it difficult to maintain weight if they expend >1,000 kCal/day Advice: If weight loss is a problem: * 6 or more med-size meals and snacks/day * Energy-dense foods: - nuts - avocado - dried fruit - dairy products, - sweetened drinks and low-fat snack foods.
2. Carbohydrate Intake:
Complex CHO tends to be higher. Fibre intake higher Status: Easier to maximise glycogen stores on a vegetarian diet Advice: Nil
3. Protein Intake:
LOVs can easily meet recommended intakes. Vegans do eat less high quality protein, but this is no problem as long as they get sufficient energy, and get their protein from a variety of foods throughout the day (it is no longer considered to be necessary to combine proteins within each meal) Case Study: 70kg vegan endurance athlete * Needs ~84g protein per day * Combine plant proteins during day: - 2 cups baked beans - 8 slices wholegrain bread - 2 T peanut butter - 2 cups vegetables - 2 1/2 cups pasta or brown rice NB: it is much easier for a LOV to get sufficienct protein: - 1 cup trim milk 11 g protein - 1 slice cheese ~5g
4. Iron Intake:
Often consume similar total Fe to omnivorous athletes BUT is not as bioavailable Status: Athletes: lower ferritins (stores) than omnivores Sedentary: lower stores, BUT no greater risk IDA Advice: Increase iron rich foods: * legumes * dried fruit * leavened wholegrains * fortified cereals Increase enhancers: * Vitamin C foods Decrease inhibitors: * phytate * tea * coffee Supplement ONLY if iron deficiency diagnosed.
5. Calcium Intake:
LOV - similar to omnivores Vegans - lower than omnivores
Status: LOVs - No increased risk of osteoporosis reported Advice: LOVs: * dairy products Vegans: * calcium-fortified soy milk * hummus * tofu * broccoli Growing athletes may need supplements.
6. Zinc Intake:
Often consume similar total Zn to omnivorous athletes BUT not as bioavailable Status: Sedentary: Lower plasma Zn BUT No evidence of deficiency symptoms Advice: Increase zinc rich foods: * dairy products * eggs * legumes * whole grains Decrease inhibitors: * phytate (yeast fermentation decreases phytate in bread) * Fe supplements.
7. Vitamin B12 Intake:
ONLY found in animal products LOVs - OK Vegans - Nil Status: Vegans at risk for low status Advice: LOVs: * dairy products * eggs Vegans MUST take: * fortified foods (e.g. soy milk), or * vitamin B12 supplements: spirulina and mushrooms contain inactive analogues.
WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF A VEGETARIAN DIET?
1. Physical Performance benefits
* Increased CHO -> maximizes glycogen stores * Lower energy -> easier weight maintenance BUT very few studies compare athletic capabilities of vegetarians with omnivores: * insufficient nos vegetarians in any one sport * vegetarians consume a wide variety of different diets.
Hanne et al. (1986) n = 49 vegetarian athletes n = 49 omnivorous controls (age, sex, wt, activity type matched) * VO2max on cycle ergometer * Wingate test => No diff in aerobic or anaerobic capacity in vegetarians compared to omnivore controls.
Raben et al. (1992) n = 8 male endurance athletes 2 x 6 week cross-over study (meat-rich vs LOV diet) * VO2max * incremental aerobic endurance test => 6 week LOV diet did not change endurance performance in male endurance athletes.
2. Health benefits Lower levels:
* serum cholesterol
* blood pressure
* BMI Lower risk of:
* total mortality - vegetarians 20% lower
* coronary heart disease mortality - consuming red meat daily ~60% greater risk than meat 1/wk
* cancer: - vegetarians 39% lower
* stroke
* obesity
* diabetes
* constipation BUT is this due to diet or lifestyle?
Vegetarians:
* drink less Alcohol
* are less likely to smoke
* are more physically active
WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL DISADVANTAGES OF A VEGETARIAN DIET?
Inadequate nutrient intakes Unlikely except for: * Fruitarian and macrobiotic diets
Vegans - vitamin B12, energy, Ca, possibly protein
Fe - LOVs and Vegans may be at risk
2. Hormone status(?) Men: Raben et al. (1992) n = 8 male endurance athletes 2 x 6 week cross-over study (meat-rich vs LOV diet) 6 week LOV diet -> minor decrease in total (NOT free) testosterone levels in male endurance athletes.
Women: Athletic Amenorrhea? Slavin et al. (1984) n = 36 competitive women cyclists Amenorrheic Eumenorrheic Vegetarian 12 20 Omnivorous 0 4 BUT: 90% participants were vegetarian!
Brooks et al. (1984) n = 26 female runners Amenorrheic Amenorrheic Vegetarian 92 Omnivorous 2 13 BUT: * not a random sample * large differences in fat intake (98g/day cf 68g/day)
Goldin et al. (1982) n = 10 vegetarian women n = 10 omnivorous women Vegetarian women had increased fecal estrogen, decreased circulating estrogen. BUT not statistically significant. Researchers suggested it might be due to higher fibre intake (2x) or lower fat intake.
Most studies are poorly controlled, not taking into account the fact that vegetarians have a:
Lower fat intake
Lower energy intake
Higher fibre intake
A vegetarian diet is common in people with eating disorders
3. Practical issues Accessing appropriate vegetarian food when away from home can be tricky - traveling - if dinning out.
CONCLUSION
A healthy vegetarian diet is NOT an omnivorous diet without the meat
Vegetarian athlete: Should eat a variety of legumes, grains and other plant foods. Athletes and individuals can get all required nutrients.
Vegan athlete: Should eat a variety of legumes, grains and other plant foods, and foods fortified with vitamin B12 (and Ca for women)
As above * BUT more careful menu planning necessary for: - children - adolescents - athletes doing high intensity exercise to ensure sufficient energy and protein intakes
REFERENCES
Havala S, Dwyer J (1988). Position of the American Dietetic Association: Vegetarian diets. JADA 88:351-355.
Raben A, Kiens B, Richter E A, Rasmussen L B, Svenstrup B, Micic S, Bennett P (1992). Serum sex hormones and endurance performance after a lacto-ovo vegetarian and a mixed diet. Med Sci Sports Exerc 24: 1290-1297.
Frail H (1994). Special needs: the vegetarian athlete. In: Burke L, Deakin V, eds. Clinical Sports Nutrition. Sydney: McGraw-Hill Book Company, pp365-378.
Hanne N, Dlin R & Rotstein A (1986). Physical fitness, anthropometric and metabolic parameters in vegetarian athletes. J Sports Med 26:180-185.
Slavin J, Lutter J, Cushman S (1984). Amenorrhoea in vegetarian athletes (letter). The Lancet (June 30) 1474-1475.
Brooks SM. Sanborn CF, Albrecht BH, Wagner WW (1984). Diet in athletic amenorrhoea (letter). The Lancet (March 10) 559-560.
Goldin BR, Adlercreutz H, Gorbach SL, Warram JH, Dwyer JT, Swenson L, Woods MN (1982). Estrogen excretion patterns and plasma levels in vegetarian and omnivorous women. N Engl J Med 307:1542-1547.
Messina M & Messina V. The Vegetarian Way. Crown Trade Paperbacks, 1996. Messina M & Messina V. A Dietician's Guide to Vegetarian Diets.
1 comment:
Hello,
where do you get your Solgar supplements from?
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