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bananaMeat-eating cyclists wanted for study looking into the performance benefits of vegetarianism
Researchers are looking to recruit volunteers for a study examining whether a vegetarian diet offers any advantage over a mixed diet when it comes to cycling performance. However, vegetarians need not apply – only ten more volunteers are needed, all of which will be required to eat the prescribed ‘mixed diet’.
The study is being carried out by a team at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL). They are looking for men aged 20-39, who have been cycling for more than three years, who cycle for one hour three or four times a week and who eat what is described as a mixed diet (vegetables, meat, dairy).
Participants will be required to follow a prescribed diet and attend QMUL three times. Each visit will be approximately two weeks apart and will involve a time trial where the cyclist will expend 500 kilocalories. If you take part, you will get a detailed report on your performance, including analysis of carbohydrate, protein and fat utilisation during each ride.
Researcher, Dondorebarwe Sakutombo, explains the motivation for the project.
“There are a lot of ramblings and claims in the rumour mill and media that a vegetarian diet confers some performance advantage. However, on a thorough search of the literature there are no scientific rigorous studies to back these up, therefore I seek to attempt to address this question with a scientific approach and let the results speak for themselves.”
For more details, you can get in touch with Dondo at d.n.j.sakutombo [at] smd14.qmul.ac.uk. He plans on presenting his findings at a conference in September.
Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.
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22 comments
Oh! I've just remembered that back in the 90s there was the Linda Mc Cartney Pro Team. Veggies or not I think that to this day they are all still waiting to be paid !
The problem is that the only people capable of winning the TDF etc are those that are on the special sauce. I don't think you'd find a vegan/vegetarian willing to pump that shit into their body.
Interesting - given your certainty, what was Wiggins on you reckon ? Can I be there when you ask him ?
Deja vu! Do you purposely follow me from thread to thread asking me the same question, or are you just forgetful?
I have not at any point said that vegetarians are inferior to any one else. I have obviously touched a raw nerve. In fact I have no idea for eg whether winners of TdF etc were veggies or not, I just asked a question.
However, I doubt whether there has ever been a French vegetarian winner ! ( tongue in cheek here for those with blinkers )
I did have the honour of meeting Walter Greaves though, albeit very briefly.
There's a vegetarian cycling club? Where's my invite?
Actually as a 16 year old lad I once hitched a lift back from Keighley to Skipton with Walter Greaves ( c. 1965 ). Brilliant bloke . Walter had a special peg on his old Commer van steering wheel so that he could hold it steady whilst he changed gear with his good arm/hand. What an experience, he was a real socialist and had a sense of humor just like me !
The Vegetarian Athletic & Cycling Club have held many records in their long history.
http://vcac.org.uk/club/history
Here is a random selection. See the site above for a full list.
George Antony Olley, the VCC's first superstar, started his brilliant career by setting up figures for the London-Portsmouth and back record in 1889 and went on to break many records on road and path including the London-Edinburgh and the Land's End to John O'Groats twice in 1907 and 1908 and the 1,000 mile record in 1907.
Sid Ferris, after an outstanding career as an amateur during which he won the classic North Road "24" three times, turned professional in 1936 and in 1937 and 1938 broke a number of RRA records including the Edinburgh to London, the Land's End to John O'Groats and the 1,000 miles. Sid also gained the 24-hour record with 465.75 miles.
Walter Greaves a one-armed member of the Yorkshire Branch set up a year's mileage record of 45,385.75 miles and Law Innes and Bill Thompson also of the Yorkshire Branch broke a number of tandem RRA records culminating in the Land's End to John O'Groats in 1938.
In the 1980s, Kathy Akoslovski (nee Bellingham) established herself as the Club's greatest woman time triallist and record breaker. She lowered the WRRA Birmingham to London record, the first of Eileen Sheridan's records to fall. She held 4 WRRA records, numerous Regional RRA records and currently holds every woman's Club record on single, tricycle and mixed tandem.
I took part into a study into the effects of creatine whilst I was at University, this involved 20 active cyclists in the mountain bike club
as the only vegetarian in the study, they were surprised at the increase in performance I displayed with creatine compared to the meat eaters. It was a blind test so I had no way of knowing if I was taking creatine or just a blank
Why don't they select a group of Octogenarian cyclists of both dietry persuasions for testing fittness. I know dozens of omnivorous 80 year old cyclists but struggle to know any veggies. Does this in itself answer the question ?
Seeing as vegetarianism is a relatively recent mainstream thing, it's not surprising that there are very few octogenarian vegetarians. It's not something people tend to take up later in life.
Not that recent - George Orwell had a good old moan about vegetarians back in the 1930s
Well if YOU don't know any, they cannot exist!
It's always nice to see good, solid statistical analysis.
The trouble with some folk is that they need to chill and learn to think sideways ! Not every damn thing needs to be taken seriously. Maybe a good dose of light humour is sometimes better for YOU than a plate full of greens or indeed steak !
No. Statistically, vegetarians live longer and are healthier. I'm not sure what QMUL can really discover from just 10 individuals in 6 weeks
It wasn't obvious that you were trying to be funny.
OK! How many vegetarians have won a) The Tour de France. b) The Giro d'Italia. c) The Vuelta Espania ? I bet that you are real bundle of joy on the club run too !
I don't know enough of the dietary habits of past Grand Tour winners to answer that, but the British women's national road champion (as of today) and World Cup leader is veggie, so it'd be a struggle to argue it's damaging to an athlete's chances.
Another of your under-the-radar jokes or just a snarky dig? I can't tell
I don't know of any winners of GTs who have declared themselves as veggies. However, I'd count Robert Millar and Sean Yates as successful pro cyclists in their day who did not eat meat.
Not all of the Linda McCartney team riders were vegetarian - I'm fairly sure neither Sciandri, Wegelius or Wiggins ditched meat during while it existed.
Lizzie Armistead claims to be a vegetarian but eats fish so is a pescatarian. She seems to still win loads of top level bike races.
Year record holder Tommy Godwin was a lifelong vegetarian, as was previous holder Walter Greaves. There are successful vegetarian and vegan athletes in other sports.
I wouldn't try to argue one is better than the other. However, so far I have not found anyone who feels that it is a disadvantage to go without meat.
The Linda Mc Cartney line was not meant to be a snarky dig. They could have done some good things had everything not gone tits up regarding the change of ownership. But that was nowt to do with being veggie just simple capitalism !
Though I do eat meat I personally don't have any problems with vegetarianism. I have an allotment about to bust out all over with fresh organic fruit and veg and I will be shortly be adding further to my 5 a day. Strangely I always find some good form around this time of year maybe it could well be the extra portions of fresh veg ? There again it may be the extra 60 or 70 miles per week I put in !
If they want a Veggie with a thyroid problem let me know. Shame I'm too old though.
I often wonder if I'm missing out on the protein hit that a mid ride bacon or sausage butty gives. People always seem a lot perkier post butty whereas I always struggle after my egg on toast. Maybe I'm just not as fit.
I'd be interested to see the diet they prescribe. I reckon it will be far healthier than my current diet and might actually see my performance improve just from the point of view of having a better balanced diet than plates of chips and cheese butties.
You're definitely missing the extra weight of water retention due to the salt content in bacon and sausages or indeed most processed foods.