Vegan Diets Could Extend an Athletes Career → BILTON ATHLETICS

A vegan diet can potentially extend an athlete’s career, because it depends on various factors such as the athlete’s individual nutritional needs, training regimen, and health conditions. Which all a healthy plant-based and vegan diet can support. A well-planned vegan diet can provide all the necessary nutrients for optimal athletic performance, such as protein, iron, calcium, carbohydrates and fatty acids. In fact, many vegan athletes have reported improved endurance, recovery, and overall health after adopting a plant-based diet.

However, it’s important to note that not all vegan diets are created equal, and athletes need to ensure they are getting adequate nutrition to fuel their intense training and competition demands. Working with a plant-based sports nutritionist can help ensure that vegan athletes are meeting their nutrient needs and maximising their performance potential.

Plants promote longevity and muscle health

Vegetables can play an important role in promoting longevity. Vegetables are a great source of essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber, which can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. These diseases can significantly impact life expectancy, so consuming a diet rich in vegetables can help prevent them and promote overall health and longevity. Consuming a higher intake of vegetables can reduce inflammation, improve gut health, and support a healthy weight, all of which are factors that can contribute to a longer, healthier life.

Fruits will also contribute to promoting longevity. Like vegetables, fruits are nutrient-dense and contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber, which are important for overall health and disease prevention.

Fruits and berries have high levels of antioxidants, which help protect the body from free radicals and reduce inflammation, a factor linked to many chronic diseases. Some fruits, such as citrus fruits, are high in vitamin C, which is essential for a strong immune system, and others, such as bananas, are rich in potassium, which can help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease.

Consuming lots of fruits and vegetables will contribute to muscle health. The nutrition in fruits and vegetables will provide energy for physical activity and support muscle growth and repair. For instants, Potassium is an electrolyte, from plant, that helps regulate muscle contractions and can help prevent muscle cramps and spasms. Also, Vitamin C is essential for the production of collagen, a protein that supports the health and strength of muscles, tendons, and ligaments.

Lower biological age

Basketball is a sport where more older athletes are choosing plant-based diets.

Research has found, that individuals who consume a diet rich in fruits and vegetables may have a lower biological age, meaning their cells and tissues may appear “younger” than their chronological age.

Finding suggest, that people who consume at least seven servings of fruits and vegetables per day has longer telomeres, which are protective caps on the ends of chromosomes that shorten with age and are associated with age-related diseases. Longer telomeres are often associated with better health outcomes and a lower biological age. It is also proven, that older adults who consumed higher amounts of fruits and vegetables had a lower risk of developing mobility limitations, which can impact overall health and ageing.

A lower biological age can potentially help athletes play sports for a longer time. Biological age refers to the functional age of an individual’s cells and tissues, which can be influenced by various factors, including diet, exercise, and lifestyle habits. Individuals with a lower biological age may have better physical and cognitive function, improved muscle mass and strength, and a lower risk of age-related diseases. Lots of studies have suggested that a plant-based diet, such as a vegan diet, can offer certain health benefits that may contribute to a lower biological age.

When we compare diets, it is often noticed that vegans have lower levels of oxidative stress, which is a factor associated with ageing, than omnivores. It’s also a fact, that a vegan diet is associated with lower levels of inflammation and improved cardiovascular health, which can impact overall health and ageing.