The Vegetarian Useful resource Group Weblog

photograph from Freepik

by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Have you ever ever felt sore the day after a vigorous exercise? In case you have, you’ve skilled exercise-induced muscle injury. That is the technical title for the muscle soreness and stiffness that you just really feel after unfamiliar or extra intense train. A few of the signs can final for a number of days and muscle soreness might take 5-7 days to resolve. Train-induced muscle injury can quickly have a adverse impact on efficiency by decreasing power and velocity. Protein performs a task in muscle restoration after train. Whereas the Really useful Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein isn’t any increased for athletes than for non-athletes, many consultants suggest that athletes get between 1.2 and a couple of.0 grams of protein per kilogram physique weight (0.55 to 0.91 grams of protein per pound of physique weight).

What’s the examine?

Researchers puzzled if vegetarian athletes would get well sooner in the event that they consumed the upper quantity (2.0 g/kg) of protein in comparison with the decrease quantity (1.2 g/kg). To be able to look at this query, sixteen people (9 males and seven females) with a median age of 24 years have been studied. All examine topics had adopted a vegetarian weight-reduction plan for at the very least 3 months earlier than the examine began. They may eat eggs and dairy merchandise. The themes stored a document of what they ate for 3 days earlier than the examine began. Their baseline protein consumption was calculated utilizing these data and the themes got unflavored pea protein isolate so as to add to their weight-reduction plan in order that they have been getting both 1.2 or 2.0 g/kg/day of protein.

Topics have been randomly assigned to eat both 1.2 or 2.0 g/kg/day of protein for five days, eat their common weight-reduction plan for two weeks, after which change to the opposite protein stage for five days. At first of the time that the themes have been consuming a measured quantity of protein, they accomplished a muscle injury protocol by which they did managed train that led to muscle soreness and stiffness. They reported the diploma of muscle soreness they skilled and did numerous checks to measure power and energy each earlier than and for five days after they accomplished the muscle injury protocol.

What did this examine discover?

There was no distinction in restoration of power and energy or of restoration from soreness in individuals following a vegetarian weight-reduction plan who consumed the decrease (1.2 g/kg) or higher (2.0 g/kg) ends of protein suggestions for athletes. These outcomes recommend that vegetarian athletes don’t have to eat additional protein above the decrease finish of the protein advice for athletes to efficiently get well from exercise-induced muscle injury.

Reference:

Presti N, Rideout TC, Temple JL, et al. Restoration of power after exercise-induced muscle injury in vegetarians consuming the higher and decrease ends of protein suggestions for athletes. Vitamins. 2025;17:1046.

Extra VRG articles for Vegan and Vegetarian Athletes can be found right here.