Female Factors

The Vegan Diet for Running?

1. Low energy availability is more common in female athletes than their male counterparts, especially in sports where lean body mass is required. Some athletes may adopt the vegan diet as a way of reducing body mass through low energy intake
2. It has been found that female vegans appear to have lower iron stores than female omnivores (so females who eat meat and plant-based foods) and are more prone to iron-deficiency anaemia BUT…male vegans appear to have a SIMILAR iron status to their male omnivore counterparts
3. Also, male vegans appear to be less impacted by iron status than female vegans, which would make sense as women have their menstrual cycle, which is known to impact significantly on iron status…certainly in some females
4. Iron deficiency (without anaemia) is known to reduce endurance capacity, increase energy expenditure and impair endurance exercise adaptations in females as we mentioned earlier. This seems to occur when iron is deficient at TISSUE level, not storage level

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The Vegan Diet for Running

1. The vegan diet is becoming more and more popular, certainly in the UK and across Europe….and possibly elsewhere in the Western world
2. There are several well-known athletes who follow a vegan diet, suggesting it could be an approach to eating that may support athletic performance
3. Paying attention to key nutrients would be essential to a healthy vegan diet for a runner: Nutrients include:

• Protein
• Omega 3 FA
• Iron
• Vitamin B12
• and others

4. It must be noted that certain nutrients CANNOT be obtained from a completely plant-based diet therefore supplementation would be recommended. For example: Vitamin B12 and Omega 3
5. To attain an adequate intake of the other nutrients the diet would need to be varied and attention paid to anti-nutrients that may limit absorption
6. Finally, research suggests that a well-planned and appropriately constructed vegan diet COULD be nutritionally adequate for most individuals, however there is currently very little evidence-based research supporting the vegan diet for athletes. Most evidence is still either anecdotal or clinical

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Disclaimer:

The suggestions we make during this episode are for guidance and advice only, and are not a substitute for medical advice or treatment. If you have any concerns regarding your health, please contact your healthcare professional for advice as soon as possible.