Nebl Josefine, Bruns Pauline, Meier Meike, Mayer Frank, Smollich Martin, Keller Markus
Research Institute for Plant-Based Nutrition, 35444 Biebertal, Germany.
Institute of Nutritional Medicine, University Hospital of Schleswig-Holstein, 23538 Lübeck, Germany.
Nutrients. 2025 Jul 17;17(14):2351. doi: 10.3390/nu17142351.
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Although there is an increasing interest among athletes in adopting plant-based diets, there is insufficient research available to determine how a vegan diet affects soccer performance.
This interventional pilot study examined the effect of an 8-week vegan diet (VEG, n = 10) on nutritional status and athletic performance in semi-professional soccer players compared to controls (CON, n = 8). The study employed a controlled, non-randomized, longitudinal pilot study design during the season to compare the two groups.
Both groups displayed overall differences in nutrient intake, including insufficient energy and carbohydrates (t2: 46.2 [40.3-52.2] En% (VEG) vs. 37.6 [34.1-41.1] En% (CON); = 0.036, Cohen's = 1.321). Notably, biochemical parameters 25(OH)D and ferritin levels fell within the normal ranges for both groups. The VEG group exhibited favorable changes in total and LDL cholesterol levels. Both groups had increased performances on the treadmill over the entire course of the study (VEG: +0.87 km/h (6.6%); CON: +0.96 km/h (7%); > 0.05). The initial relative VO at t0 was comparable between the groups. Primarily due to the significant weight loss in the VEG group (-1.94 kg, = 0.007) rather than a change in absolute VO values, we found an increased relative VO in the VEG group, which was significantly different from that of the CON group (57.0 [53.7-60.3] mL/kg/min (VEG) vs. 51.6 [48.1-55.0] mL/kg/min (CON); = 0.041, Cohen's = 1.675).
These findings suggest that a short-term vegan diet does not adversely affect training-induced performance improvements and may be suitable for semi-professional soccer players.
背景/目的：尽管运动员对采用植物性饮食的兴趣日益增加，但目前尚无足够的研究来确定纯素饮食如何影响足球运动表现。
本干预性试点研究比较了8周纯素饮食（VEG组，n = 10）对半职业足球运动员营养状况和运动表现的影响，对照组（CON组，n = 8）。该研究在赛季期间采用了对照、非随机、纵向试点研究设计来比较两组。
两组在营养摄入方面均表现出总体差异，包括能量和碳水化合物摄入不足（t2：46.2 [40.3 - 52.2] En%（VEG组）对37.6 [34.1 - 41.1] En%（CON组）；P = 0.036，科恩d值 = 1.321）。值得注意的是，两组的生化参数25(OH)D和铁蛋白水平均在正常范围内。VEG组的总胆固醇和低密度脂蛋白胆固醇水平出现了有利变化。在整个研究过程中，两组在跑步机上的表现均有所提高（VEG组：+0.87 km/h（6.6%）；CON组：+0.96 km/h（7%）；P > 0.05）。两组在t0时的初始相对摄氧量相当。主要由于VEG组体重显著下降（-1.94 kg，P = 0.007），而非绝对摄氧量值的变化，我们发现VEG组的相对摄氧量增加，与CON组有显著差异（57.0 [53.7 - 60.3] mL/kg/min（VEG组）对51.6 [48.1 - 55.0] mL/kg/min（CON组）；P = 0.041，科恩d值 = 1.675）。
这些发现表明，短期纯素饮食不会对训练引起的运动表现改善产生不利影响，可能适合半职业足球运动员。
