When to use this
An athlete tells you they have gone vegetarian or vegan, or a plant-based runner shows up flat and you suspect the plate rather than the training.
- A runner recently switched to plant-based eating and the family wants a starting plan.
- A plant-based athlete reports fatigue or has a history of low ferritin.
- Team protein conversations keep circling back to whether plant-based runners can get enough.
Advanced lab
The plant-based planning rules behind the sheet
The sheet names the watch nutrients. The food-based ranges and pairing rules that make a plant-based week actually cover them are here.
These are food-based planning ranges, not prescriptions. A plant-based athlete with ongoing fatigue, a low ferritin history, or shrinking food variety should be individualized with a sports dietitian.
Evidence sources
These references support the handout’s general education. Individual medical, supplement, laboratory, or injury questions should be handled by the appropriate qualified clinician.
- Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM.(2016) ACSM/AND/DC Joint Position Statement: Nutrition and Athletic Performance.
- Smith JW, Holmes ME, McAllister MJ. (2021) Nutritional considerations for performance in young athletes. Nutrients, 13(12):4267.
Where to go next
