Abstract
This study aimed to assess the levels of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)
markers in individuals adhering to vegan and omnivore diets after engaging in
acute resistance exercise. A total of 54 untrained young, healthy,
normal-body-weight women (age: 26.8±4.1 years; body mass index:
22.5±2.7 kg/m2) participated in the study. Participants were
categorized into two groups: vegans (n=27) and omnivores (n=27) based on their
dietary preferences, with all subjects having adhered to their respective diets
for a minimum of 2 years. DOMS was induced by a single eccentric resistance
exercise session, comprising four exercises (leg press, chest press, leg curls,
and arm curls), each consisting of four sets of 10 repetitions. Various
measurements, including dietary factors, state of wellness, body composition,
muscle circumferences, muscle pressure point thresholds (PPTs), and muscle
strength, were recorded both before and 48 hours after the exercise session. The
results showed that wellness and muscle circumferences remained unchanged or
displayed similar changes between the vegan and omnivore groups following acute
resistance exercise. However, notable differences were observed in PPTs in favor
of vegans, specifically for the right biceps (95% CI: 1.4 to 10.2; p=0.01), the
left vastus medialis (95% CI: 0.5 to 6.4; p=0.02), and the right vastus
lateralis (95% CI: 3.2 to 12.1; p=0.001). Furthermore, significant differences
in right grip strength were found in favor of vegans after the exercise session
(95% CI: 3.1 to 26.2; p=0.01). In conclusion, our findings suggest that vegans
may experience more favorable changes in DOMS levels following acute resistance
exercise in comparison to omnivores. This discrepancy in DOMS markers may
indicate enhanced muscle recovery in vegans.
Keywords
body composition - swelling - pressure pain thresholds - muscle strength - dietary
profile
