A Vegan Athlete’s Heart—Is It Different? Morphology and Function in Echocardiography
Plant-based diets are a growing trend, including among athletes. This study compares the differences in physical performance and heart morphology and function between vegan and omnivorous amateur runners. A study group and a matched control group were recruited comprising <i>N</i> = 30 p...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-07-01
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| Series: | Diagnostics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/10/7/477 |
| _version_ | 1827713122759081984 |
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| author | Wojciech Król Szymon Price Daniel Śliż Damian Parol Marcin Konopka Artur Mamcarz Marcin Wełnicki Wojciech Braksator |
| author_facet | Wojciech Król Szymon Price Daniel Śliż Damian Parol Marcin Konopka Artur Mamcarz Marcin Wełnicki Wojciech Braksator |
| author_sort | Wojciech Król |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Plant-based diets are a growing trend, including among athletes. This study compares the differences in physical performance and heart morphology and function between vegan and omnivorous amateur runners. A study group and a matched control group were recruited comprising <i>N</i> = 30 participants each. Eight members of the study group were excluded, leaving <i>N</i> = 22 participants. Members of both groups were of similar age and trained with similar frequency and intensity. Vegans displayed a higher VO2max (54.08 vs. 50.10 mL/kg/min, <i>p</i> < 0.05), which correlated positively with carbohydrate intake (ρ = 0.52) and negatively with MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acids) intake (ρ = −0.43). The vegans presented a more eccentric form of remodelling with greater left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDd, 2.93 vs. 2.81 cm/m<sup>2</sup>, <i>p</i> = 0.04) and a lower relative wall thickness (RWT, 0.39 vs. 0.42, <i>p</i> = 0.04) and left ventricular mass (LVM, 190 vs. 210 g, <i>p</i> = 0.01). The left ventricular mass index (LVMI) was similar (108 vs. 115 g/m<sup>2</sup>, <i>p</i> = NS). Longitudinal strain was higher in the vegan group (−20.5 vs. −19.6%, <i>p</i> = 0.04), suggesting better systolic function. Higher E-wave velocities (87 vs. 78 cm/s, <i>p</i> = 0.001) and E/e′ ratios (6.32 vs. 5.6, <i>p</i> = 0.03) may suggest better diastolic function in the vegan group. The results demonstrate that following a plant-based diet does not impair amateur athletes’ performance and influences both morphological and functional heart remodelling. The lower RWT and better LV systolic and diastolic function are most likely positive echocardiographic findings. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T18:29:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-724d1929caf0464c8e7ed4a90b8fe996 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4418 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T18:29:41Z |
| publishDate | 2020-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diagnostics |
| spelling | doaj.art-724d1929caf0464c8e7ed4a90b8fe9962023-11-20T06:45:49ZengMDPI AGDiagnostics2075-44182020-07-0110747710.3390/diagnostics10070477A Vegan Athlete’s Heart—Is It Different? Morphology and Function in EchocardiographyWojciech Król0Szymon Price1Daniel Śliż2Damian Parol3Marcin Konopka4Artur Mamcarz5Marcin Wełnicki6Wojciech Braksator7Department of Sports Cardiology and Noninvasive Cardiovascular Imagining, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warszawa, PolandDepartment of Sports Cardiology and Noninvasive Cardiovascular Imagining, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warszawa, Poland3rd Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warszawa, Poland3rd Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warszawa, PolandDepartment of Sports Cardiology and Noninvasive Cardiovascular Imagining, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warszawa, Poland3rd Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warszawa, Poland3rd Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warszawa, PolandDepartment of Sports Cardiology and Noninvasive Cardiovascular Imagining, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warszawa, PolandPlant-based diets are a growing trend, including among athletes. This study compares the differences in physical performance and heart morphology and function between vegan and omnivorous amateur runners. A study group and a matched control group were recruited comprising <i>N</i> = 30 participants each. Eight members of the study group were excluded, leaving <i>N</i> = 22 participants. Members of both groups were of similar age and trained with similar frequency and intensity. Vegans displayed a higher VO2max (54.08 vs. 50.10 mL/kg/min, <i>p</i> < 0.05), which correlated positively with carbohydrate intake (ρ = 0.52) and negatively with MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acids) intake (ρ = −0.43). The vegans presented a more eccentric form of remodelling with greater left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDd, 2.93 vs. 2.81 cm/m<sup>2</sup>, <i>p</i> = 0.04) and a lower relative wall thickness (RWT, 0.39 vs. 0.42, <i>p</i> = 0.04) and left ventricular mass (LVM, 190 vs. 210 g, <i>p</i> = 0.01). The left ventricular mass index (LVMI) was similar (108 vs. 115 g/m<sup>2</sup>, <i>p</i> = NS). Longitudinal strain was higher in the vegan group (−20.5 vs. −19.6%, <i>p</i> = 0.04), suggesting better systolic function. Higher E-wave velocities (87 vs. 78 cm/s, <i>p</i> = 0.001) and E/e′ ratios (6.32 vs. 5.6, <i>p</i> = 0.03) may suggest better diastolic function in the vegan group. The results demonstrate that following a plant-based diet does not impair amateur athletes’ performance and influences both morphological and functional heart remodelling. The lower RWT and better LV systolic and diastolic function are most likely positive echocardiographic findings.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/10/7/477echocardiographyveganathletes’ heartsrunnersdiet |
| spellingShingle | Wojciech Król Szymon Price Daniel Śliż Damian Parol Marcin Konopka Artur Mamcarz Marcin Wełnicki Wojciech Braksator A Vegan Athlete’s Heart—Is It Different? Morphology and Function in Echocardiography Diagnostics echocardiography vegan athletes’ hearts runners diet |
| title | A Vegan Athlete’s Heart—Is It Different? Morphology and Function in Echocardiography |
| title_full | A Vegan Athlete’s Heart—Is It Different? Morphology and Function in Echocardiography |
| title_fullStr | A Vegan Athlete’s Heart—Is It Different? Morphology and Function in Echocardiography |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Vegan Athlete’s Heart—Is It Different? Morphology and Function in Echocardiography |
| title_short | A Vegan Athlete’s Heart—Is It Different? Morphology and Function in Echocardiography |
| title_sort | vegan athlete s heart is it different morphology and function in echocardiography |
| topic | echocardiography vegan athletes’ hearts runners diet |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/10/7/477 |
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