Showcase of Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors (SOURCE)

Ketogenic Diet vs. Vegetarian Diet: How they Affect Athletic Performance

For many years, there has been an ongoing trend of participating in different diets within the athletic community. This response is a result of athletes wanting to see if diets will improve their health and to see what other effects the diet might provide. The most popular diets in this new trend are the ketogenic and vegetarian diets. These diets are vastly different in the nutrients they provide as the ketogenic diet is based on low carb, high fat and the vegetarian diet being abstaining from meat, fish, and poultry. According to research both diets have positive and negative effects on the body, but the insistent question is which diet would be most beneficial to athletic performance? Recreational and elite athletes have participated in various diets; however, it is unknown if they are informed if the diet they are participating in is actually helpful in their athletic performance. This presentation will discuss the different attributes the ketogenic and vegetarian diet have on athletic performance and overall which diet would be more useful to athletes.