Christian Muschitz, MD, of St. Vincent Vienna and the Medical University of Vienna, Austria said: “Vegetarianism is a global trend with a dramatic increase in the number of people worldwide following a purely plant-based diet. “Our study shows that resistance training effectively reduces bone structure in vegans compared to omnivores.”
Resistance Training for Vegetarians: Is It Beneficial?
The authors compared data from 43 men and women who followed a plant-based diet for at least 5 years and 45 men and women who followed an omnivorous diet for at least 5 years. Omnivores eat meat as well as food of plant origin.
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The researchers found that vegans who performed resistance-training exercises such as using machines, free weights, or bodyweight resistance exercises at least once a week had strong bones. healthier than those who don’t exercise. They also found that vegetarians and omnivores who participated in resistance training had similar bone structures.
“Those who adhere to a vegan lifestyle should do regular resistance training exercises to maintain bone strength,” says Muschitz.
Other authors of this study include Robert Wakolbinger-Habel of the Vienna Healthcare Group and the Medical University of Vienna in Vienna, Austria; Matthias Reinweber of Vienna Healthcare Group; Jürgen König, Daniel König, and Rochus Pokan of the University of Vienna in Vienna, Austria; and Peter Pietschmann of the Medical University of Vienna.
The study did not receive external funding.
Source: Eurekalert
