Plants, Algae, Cyanobacteria and Fungi in Diet of Vegan and Vegetarian Sportsmen - a Systematic Review

Vegan and vegetarian diets have become increasingly popular in developed countries. The aim of the research presented here is to review publications referring to the role of plants, algae, bacteria and fungi in the diet of vegan and vegetarian sportsmen published in the period 2000-2021. The review of the literature was based on peer-reviewed original full-text articles and patents using the ISI Web of Science database, as well as the Google Scholar and Google Patents search engines. Factorial combinations of the following keywords were applied: (‘plant’ or ‘alga’ or ‘fungus’ or ‘cyanobacteria’) and (‘athlete’ or ‘sport’) and (‘food’ or ‘nutrition’ or ‘diet’) and (‘vegan’ or ‘vegetarian’). The survey of the literature, carried out according to PRISMA statements, showed that many taxa canbe used in manufacturing products enhancing sport nutrition, athletic performance, mental alertness, physical health, preventing disorders and controlling body weight.Numerous authors found that the ingestion of plant constituents such as caffeine and proteins enhances muscle growth and recovery. Other investigations indicated the occurrence of beneficial effects, as well as imperfections, ofnon-animal diets. The performed investigations documented that acceptance of vegan and vegetarian diets flows from religious and ethical beliefs, as well as the advantages of sustainable eating practices.