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Vegetarianism And Protein Malnutrition
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Vegetarians tend to eat an adequate ratio of total protein (studies show that vegetarian athletes can easily eat a diet that is at least 15 percent protein), but plant-based proteins lack certain amino acids that can lead to malnutrition. It is this restriction that leads to greater health risk and poorer performance.
An interesting study in the journal Nutrition shows how easy it is for nutritional deficiencies to arise from a vegetarian diet, even when milk and dairy are included. This study compared plasma levels of various nutrients in a group of Africans who ate a traditional vegetarian diet with a group from a nearby region that ate an omnivorous diet. Neither group supplemented with any nutrients.
Results showed the vegetarian group had significantly less muscle mass, and low levels of taurine, glutathione, and much higher levels of homocysteine than the group that ate meat. Less lean body mass in the vegetarians was likely due to the poorer quality of protein in the diet that led to an imbalance in amino acids.
Persistently high levels of the amino acid homocysteine is called hyperhomocysteinemia, which is known to play a role in poor muscularity, but it also increases risk of heart disease. High homocysteine is also linked with greater stroke risk, elevated cholesterol levels, and hardening of the arteries.
High homocysteine typically comes from B vitamin deficiency (especially B12 and B9), but this vegetarian group had normal concentrations of these vitamins, probably because they ate eggs and dairy. Researchers believe that homocysteine was high due to a long-term deficiency of specific amino acids and very low levels of glutathione. Glutathione is the most important antioxidant that is produced inside of the body out of three amino acids, glycine, glutamine, and cysteine, all of which are primarily gotten in a carnivorous diet (all three are found in eggs, milk, and some nuts as well).
Low glutathione is a big problems for vegetarians because not only is this biological marker necessary for a healthy immune function, it’s directly involved in the removal of toxins from the body. People who have higher glutathione have much less chance of getting a chronic disease because of its importance in maintaining overall health and homeostasis in the body. Athletes can rapidly deplete glutathione but with the adequate diet, it’s possible to replenish it. Vegetarian athletes are at even greater risk for low glutathione unless they supplement.
Avoid Low Glutathione: Supplement with the three amino acids that make glutathione (glycine, glutamine, cysteine) and ensure you get enough B vitamins (see below). Leafy green vegetables contain glycine, glutamine, and cysteine, and dark colored berries will help with glutathione enzyme production.
The Nutrition study highlights the need to prevent nutrient deficiencies for vegetarians and especially vegetarian athletes. For example, the third finding of this study was that the amino acid taurine was very low in the vegetarians, and lack of taurine can negatively alter mood and impair brain function.
Taurine is extremely important for the function of the central nervous system and neurotransmitter production—think of the effect this can have on motivation to train, team cooperation, focus, precision, and skill! And, one of the worst side effects of nutrient deficiencies common in the vegetarian diet is the lack of taurine, which leads to elevated anxiety, unhappiness, and stress.
Get Adequate Taurine: Aside from meat and seafood, taurine can be gotten from some seaweeds, and some eggs, but studies show not all eggs contain taurine. It can also be taken in supplement form.
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