Can vegan athletes build muscle?
HEALTH
Short answer
Yes. Matched-protein trials show identical strength and hypertrophy gains on vegan vs. omnivore diets.
HEALTH
The detail
A 2021 São Paulo trial (Hevia-Larraín) found identical muscle growth in vegan vs. omnivore lifters over 12 weeks at matched protein. Elite vegan athletes include Patrik Baboumian (strongman world records), Lewis Hamilton, Novak Djokovic and Venus Williams.
Focus on total daily protein (1.6-2.2 g/kg), leucine-rich foods (soy, lentils), and creatine (3-5 g/day is helpful for vegans since diet provides none).
Focus on consuming high-leucine plant foods like soy, lentils, and pumpkin seeds to help trigger the muscle-building process after a workout. A 2023 study in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found no difference in strength gains between athletes using soy or whey protein. Many endurance runners find that a vegan diet speeds up their recovery times by reducing exercise-induced oxidative stress through a higher intake of antioxidants.
Source: Hevia-Larraín et al., Sports Med 2021;51(6):1317-1330.
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More questions like this
- What are the best vegan protein sources?
Lentils, tofu, tempeh, seitan, chickpeas, black beans, edamame, peas, quinoa, oats, peanuts and pea/soy protein powders.
- What supplements do vegans need?
Only B12 is universally required. Vitamin D, iodine, algae-based omega-3 (EPA/DHA), and sometimes zinc, selenium or iron are recommended depending on diet and location.
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