athletes' medical information - Coca-Cola

athletes’ medical information
products may be suitable choices for
vegetarians and vegans, respectively.
If there are no animal foods in the diet, then
a vitamin B12 supplement may be necessary.
Some vegan food products, such as meat
substitutes, are B12 fortified – so it is important
if you adopt a vegan lifestyle to learn to read
food labels.
Avoiding red meat means that special
attention must be paid to ensuring that the diet
contains enough iron, especially during periods
of rapid growth (e.g., adolescence) for women
because of losses during menstruation, and
before going to altitude for training or
competition. Iron intake from plant sources
should be combined with other foods that aid
iron absorption: for example, iron-fortified
breakfast cereals, consumed at a meal
containing vitamin C (a glass of orange juice).
Dairy produce should be included in the diet
to ensure an adequate calcium intake, but many
calcium-fortified foods are also available.
Vegetarian athletes may also be at risk for low
intakes of fat (essential fatty acids are especially
important), riboflavin, vitamin D and zinc, which
should be monitored and supplemented in the
diet if necessary.
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