Vegan vs. omnivore diets paradox: A whole-metagenomic approach for defining metabolic networks during the race in ultra-marathoners- a before and after study design.

BACKGROUND: The effect of vegan diets on metabolic processes in the body is still controversial in ultra endurance athletes. The study aims to determine gut microbiome adaptation to extreme exercise according to vegan or omnivore diet consumed in ultra-marathoners. We also seek to evaluate long-term vegan diets' effects on redox homeostasis, and muscle fatigue, and assess energy availability. METHODS: Seventy participants will be assigned to the study, including 35 vegan ultra-marathoners and 35 omnivores competing in the Sri-Chinmoy ultra marathon race. Research data will be collected from the participants at four steps (three visits to the research laboratory and the race day) throughout the study. At the first visit (seven days before the race), fecal samples, and anthropometric measurements will be collected. Body composition will be measured using DXA. Participants will be informed about keeping detailed food records and will be asked to record their diet data and activity logs during the entire study period. At second visit, maximum oxygen consumption will be measured on treadmill. On race day, blood samples will be collected immediately before, and 0. min, 2 hours, and 24 hours after the race. Body weight will be measured before and after the race. The blood and fecal samples will be stored at -80 C until analysis. Plasma malondialdehyde, reactive oxygen metabolites, total antioxidant capacity, Heatshockprotein-70, and serum Orosomucoid-1 will be analyzed in blood samples. Fecal samples will be analyzed with shotgun metagenomic analysis and interpreted using bioinformatics pipeline (HumanN2). Statistical tests will be analyzed using SPSS version 23.0 and R Software. DISCUSSION: Study findings will determine the effects of the vegan diet on sports performance, revealing the multiple interactions between host and gut microbiome at the whole metagenomic level. Additionally, results will show the possible adaptation throughout the race by analyzing blood and fecal samples. Furthermore, by assessing energy availability and determining host-metabolite crosstalk for ultra-endurance athletes, possible nutritional deficiencies can be identified. Thus, advanced nutritional strategies can be developed based on metabolic needs. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current controlled trials, ISRCTN registry 69541705. Registered on 8 December 2019.

Supplement Intake in Recreational Vegan, Vegetarian, and Omnivorous Endurance Runners-Results from the NURMI Study (Step 2).

Nutrient deficiency is a common cause of underperformance in endurance athletes, and supplement intake is frequently considered compensatory for vegan and vegetarian athletes specifically. This study aimed to investigate the patterns of supplement intake among vegan, vegetarian, and omnivorous distance (>10 km) runners and its association with age, sex, and race distance. From a total of 317 runners who participated in an online survey, 220 distance runners (mean age: 38.5 years; mean BMI: 21.75 kg/m2) were selected for the final sample after data clearance and assigned to 100 omnivores, 40 vegetarians, or 80 vegans. Sociodemographic information, racing experience, and patterns of supplement intake, including type, frequency, dosage, etc., were collected using a questionnaire. Macronutrient intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. ANOVA and logistic regression were used for data analysis. The prevalence of supplement intake was 51% for total runners and 72% among vegan runners. Age, sex, and race distance had no significant effect on the type of supplement intake (p > 0.05). Compared to omnivores and vegetarians, vegan runners reported consuming more vitamin (but not carbohydrate/protein or mineral) supplements (p < 0.05). Vitamin B12, magnesium, and multivitamin had the most prevalent use amongst micronutrient supplements. This study points to a central role for supplementary nutritional strategies in different groups of distance runners. The present findings may help future investigations by design to identify specific requirements of endurance runners when adhering to specific kinds of diet particularly plant-based diets.

Nutritional knowledge, anthropometric profile, total cholesterol and motivations in vegetarians and non-vegetarians

BACKGROUND: Research often reports on the anthropometric and biochemical profile of vegetarians and non-vegetarians, yet few have compared nutritional knowledge in both populations. This cross-sectional study compared nutritional knowledge, anthropometric profile and total cholesterol in vegetarians and non-vegetarians. In addition, the motivations for choosing a vegetarian diet were analyzed. METHODS: A registry card and a questionnaire were administered to evaluate sociodemographic, anthropometric, total cholesterol, nutritional knowledge and motivation data of the vegetarians. Data were analyzed using Chi-square and t-student tests, considering a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: No significant difference was found in the level of nutritional knowledge of the two groups. In addition, a sufficient score was not observed in either group (>80 %). Vegetarians had significantly lower average weight, body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) compared to non-vegetarians (59.948 ± 8,923 kg vs. 64.362 ± 12.272 kg, p = 0.017), (23.22 ± 3.026 kg/m2 vs. 25.152 ± 3,373 kg/m2, p < 0.01) and (78.435 ± 10.883 cm vs. 86.207 ± 13.662 cm, p < 0.01), respectively. Total cholesterol concentration was significantly lower in vegetarians (166.307 ± 26.139 mg/dL vs. 189.138 ± 38.451 mg/dL, p < 0.01). The "health benefits" were the main motivations to opt for vegetarianism (32.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Vegetarians presented a better anthropometric profile and lower levels of total cholesterol. However, there were no differences regarding knowledge levels. The highest proportion of vegetarian's report choosing the vegetarian lifestyle for health reasons

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Distribution of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in the Saliva of Healthy Omnivores, Ovo-Lacto-Vegetarians, and Vegans.

Food consumption allows the entrance of bacteria and their antibiotic resistance (AR) genes into the human oral cavity. To date, very few studies have examined the influence of diet on the composition of the salivary microbiota, and even fewer investigations have specifically aimed to assess the impact of different long-term diets on the salivary resistome. In this study, the saliva of 144 healthy omnivores, ovo-lacto-vegetarians, and vegans were screened by nested PCR for the occurrence of 12 genes conferring resistance to tetracyclines, macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B, vancomycin, and ß-lactams. The tet(W), tet(M), and erm(B) genes occurred with the highest frequencies. Overall, no effect of diet on AR gene distribution was seen. Some differences emerged at the recruiting site level, such as the higher frequency of erm(C) in the saliva of the ovo-lacto-vegetarians and omnivores from Bologna and Turin, respectively, and the higher occurrence of tet(K) in the saliva of the omnivores from Bologna. A correlation of the intake of milk and cheese with the abundance of tet(K) and erm(C) genes was seen. Finally, when the occurrence of the 12 AR genes was evaluated along with geographical location, age, and sex as sources of variability, high similarity among the 144 volunteers was seen.

Macronutrients and micronutrients in Spanish adult vegans (Mediterranean population) / Macronutrientes y micronutrientes en adultos veganos españoles (población mediterránea)

OBJECTIVE: studies have been published in Europe comparing the mean macronutrient and micronutrient intake values of the general population with those of the vegan population, but none has been conducted in a country that mainly follows the Mediterranean diet. Therefore, the aim of this study was to carry out this comparison in Spain. METHODS: a cross-sectional study of a sample of Spanish vegans was designed in 2015. To compare the distribution of nutrients with those of the general population, we used data from the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition, which was considered to be normally distributed as it was a large population with biological parameters. All participants were asked about their dietary intake for the previous day (24 hour reminder) and the nutrients were calculated using specialized software. The distributions were compared using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. RESULTS: the sample comprised 102 vegans, 67 of whom were women. The vegan population consumed more carbohydrates and fiber, less total fat (women only), fewer saturated fatty acids, and more polyunsaturated fatty acids. They had much lower cholesterol intake, lower calcium and iodine intake, higher iron and folic acid intake, and much lower intake of vitamins B12 and D. CONCLUSIONS: Spanish vegans had nutritional deficiencies compared to the general population and should therefore ensure their diet includes the necessary supplements

ANTECEDENTES: se han publicado en Europa estudios que comparan los valores medios de ingesta de macronutrientes y micronutrientes de la población general con los de la población vegana, pero ninguno se ha llevado a cabo en un país que sigue principalmente la dieta mediterránea. Por lo tanto, el objetivo de este estudio fue llevar a cabo esta comparación en España. MÉTODOS: se diseñó un estudio transversal de una muestra de veganos españoles en 2015. Para comparar la distribución de nutrientes con los de la población general, utilizamos datos de la Agencia Española de Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutrición, considerando dichos datos como una distribución normal de parámetros biológicos al constituir una gran muestra. A todos los participantes se les preguntó sobre su ingesta dietética en el día anterior y los nutrientes se calcularon utilizando un software especializado. Las distribuciones se compararon mediante la prueba de Kolmogorov-Smirnov. RESULTADOS: la muestra comprendió 102 veganos, 67 de los cuales eran mujeres. La población vegana consumió más carbohidratos y fibra, menos grasa total (solo mujeres), menos ácidos grasos saturados y más ácidos grasos poliinsaturados. Tenían una ingesta mucho más baja de colesterol, una ingesta más baja de calcio y yodo, una mayor ingesta de hierro y ácido fólico, y una ingesta mucho más baja de vitaminas B12 y D. CONCLUSIÓN: los veganos españoles tenían deficiencias nutricionales en comparación con la población general y, por lo tanto, deben asegurarse de que su dieta incluya los suplementos necesarios

Distinguishing vegan-, vegetarian-, and omnivorous diets by hair isotopic analysis.

BACKGROUND: Dietary risks contribute heavily to disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), being more important than hypertension, obesity, or smoking. To measure dietary exposure remains a challenge in nutrition research. AIMS: The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that isotope ratios of 15N and 13C in human hair could distinguish between subjects adhering to different habitual diets. METHODS: 20 male and 29 female subjects average 31 years old (range 19-53), with stable dietary habits volunteered. Diets were vegan, vegetarian and omnivorous. Hair samples were processed on an elemental analyser coupled to isotope-ratio mass spectrometry. RESULTS: δ15N differed between vegan, vegetarian and omnivorous diets, p < 0.05 for all. δ13C differed between vegan and omnivorous diets, p < 0.05, but neither of these diets were separated from the vegetarian diet. CONCLUSION: Elemental Analysis of δ13C and especially δ15N with isotope ratio mass spectrometry seems to be a promising, non-invasive and objective way to distinguish groups of subjects on different habitual diets, at least if n=>10.

Effect of two different sublingual dosages of vitamin B12 on cobalamin nutritional status in vegans and vegetarians with a marginal deficiency: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Vegetarians and vegans are more vulnerable to vitamin B12 deficiency with severe risks of megaloblastic anemia, cognitive decline, neuropathy, and depression. An easy and simple method of supplementation consists of taking one weekly dosage of 2000 µg. However, single large oral doses of vitamin B12 are poorly absorbed. The present research evaluates the ability of two different sublingual dosages of vitamin B12 (350 µg/week vs 2000 µg/week) in improving cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12) nutritional status in vegans and vegetarians with a marginal deficiency. METHODS: A 12-week randomized, double-blind, controlled, parallel intervention trial was performed. Forty subjects with marginal vitamin B12 deficiency were enrolled and randomly divided into two groups: test group Ld (low dose, 350 µg/week) and control group Hd (high dose, 2000 µg/week) vitamin B12 supplementation. Blood samples were collected at baseline and after 15, 30, 60, and 90 days from the intervention for the determination of vitamin B12, related metabolic markers, and blood cell counts. RESULTS: Two-way analysis of variance showed a significant effect of time (P < 0.0001) and of time × treatment interaction (P = 0.012) on serum concentration of vitamin B12 that increased after 90-day supplementation (Ld and Hd) compared to baseline. Both the supplements increased (P < 0.0001, time effect) the levels of holotranscobalamin, succinic acid, methionine and wellness parameter, while decreased (P < 0.0001, time effect) the levels of methylmalonic acid, homocysteine and folate compared to baseline. No difference was observed between groups (Ld vs Hd). No effect was detected for vitamin B6 and blood cell count. CONCLUSIONS: In our experimental conditions, both supplements were able to restore adequate serum concentrations of vitamin B12 and to improve the levels of related metabolic blood markers in subjects with a marginal deficiency. The results support the use of a sublingual dosage of 50 µg/day (350 µg/week) of cobalamin, instead of 2000 µg/week (provided as a single dose), to reach a state of nutritional adequacy of vitamin B12 in this target population. This study was registered at www.isrctn.org as ISRCTN75099618.

A model of the dynamics of household vegetarian and vegan rates in the U.K.

Although there are many studies of determinants of vegetarianism and veganism, there have been no previous studies of how their rates in a population jointly change over time. In this paper, we present a flexible model of vegetarian and vegan dietary choices, and derive the joint dynamics of rates of consumption. We fit our model to a pseudo-panel with 23 years of U.K. household data, and find that while vegetarian rates are largely determined by current household characteristics, vegan rates are additionally influenced by their own lagged value. We solve for equilibrium rates of vegetarianism and veganism, show that rates of consumption return to their equilibrium levels following a temporary event which changes those rates, and estimate the effects of campaigns to promote non-meat diets. We find that a persistent vegetarian campaign has a significantly positive effect on the rate of vegan consumption, in answer to an active debate among vegan campaigners.

A Comparison of Eating Attitudes Between Vegans/Vegetarians and Nonvegans/Nonvegetarians in Terms of Orthorexia Nervosa.

This descriptive study was performed to compare signs of orthorexia nervosa and eating habits and attitudes of vegans/vegetarians and nonvegans/nonvegetarians. The study sample included 62 people, of whom 31 were vegan/vegetarian and 31 were nonvegan/nonvegetarian. Data were gathered with a personal characteristics form, Orthorexia Nervosa Evaluation Scale-11, Eating Attitudes Test-40 and Maudsley Obsessive Compulsive Inventory. There were not any significant differences between scores for Orthorexia Nervosa Evaluation Scale-11, Eating Attitudes Test-40 and Maudsley Obsessive Compulsive Inventory (p>0,05). As scores for Orthorexia Nervosa Evaluation Scale-11 decreased, predisposition to orthorexia nervosa increased. Therefore, although correlation coefficients were negative, they were considered positive. There was a significant, negative relation between Eating Habits Test-40 scores and Orthorexia Nervosa Evaluation Scale-11 scores (r=-0.290, p=0.002) and between Maudsley Obsessive Compulsive Inventory scores and Orthorexia Nervosa Evaluation Scale-11 scores (r=-0.319, p=0.012). As poor eating habits and obsessive symptoms increased, so did orthorectic symptoms. In light of obtained results, it seems that people become vegan/vegetarian mainly for ethical reasons and that veganism/vegetarianism is not associated with obsession of healthy eating.

Intake of macro- and micronutrients in Danish vegans.

BACKGROUND: Since information about macro- and micronutrient intake among vegans is limited we aimed to determine and evaluate their dietary and supplementary intake. METHODS: Seventy 18-61 years old Danish vegans completed a four-day weighed food record from which their daily intake of macro- and micronutrients was assessed and subsequently compared to an age-range-matched group of 1,257 omnivorous individuals from the general Danish population. Moreover, the vegan dietary and supplementary intake was compared to the 2012 Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR). RESULTS: Dietary intake differed significantly between vegans and the general Danish population in all measured macro- and micronutrients (p < 0.05), except for energy intake among women and intake of carbohydrates among men. For vegans the intake of macro- and micronutrients (including supplements) did not reach the NNR for protein, vitamin D, iodine and selenium. Among vegan women vitamin A intake also failed to reach the recommendations. With reference to the NNR, the dietary content of added sugar, sodium and fatty acids, including the ratio of PUFA to SFA, was more favorable among vegans. CONCLUSIONS: At the macronutrient level, the diet of Danish vegans is in better accordance with the NNR than the diet of the general Danish population. At the micronutrient level, considering both diet and supplements, the vegan diet falls short in certain nutrients, suggesting a need for greater attention toward ensuring recommended daily intake of specific vitamins and minerals.